Simplicity
by TwistedRaver
Summary: "I know what it's like to think you'll never succeed." She said quietly. "You have no bloody idea," Draco snapped. "Why do you care? I'm horrible to you." It was a simple question, without a simple answer. Simplicity was no more. Had it ever existed?
1. Chapter 1

**Title:** Simplicity**  
Summary:** "I know what it's like to think you'll never succeed." She said quietly. "You have no bloody idea," Draco snapped. "Why do you care? I'm horrible to you." It was a simple question, without a simple answer. Simplicity was no more.  
**Genre: **Angst/Friendship, maybe more haven't decided.**  
Author's Note:** It takes place during year six...I know it may seem over done...but I couldn't help myself, this idea has been in my head for months if not since the moment I finished reading the 6th book like two years ago.  
**Disclaimer:** JK Rowling owns Harry Potter everything. I'm simply borrowing her characters and ideas...I own Angeline Jensen and that's pretty much it.

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Another year at Hogwarts is all Angeline Jensen had to look forward to in life, she hated the summer holidays as much as she hated sitting through Professor Binns' History of Magic class. And that was saying something. Going back to Hogwarts wasn't that high on her list of priorities, Angeline wasn't known to fit in with her housemates let alone known by anyone. She'd be surprise to have her own Head of House remembered her name.

She sighed as she walked the small corridor of the train trying to find a compartment to sit in. Everywhere seemed to be filled which sucked...There seemed to be a lot more first years than they had been in previous years. She walked past Harry Potter's compartment and thought about joining him and his friends, but she was a Slytherin and that most likely wouldn't go well. Gryfindors and Slytherins were enemies, no question about it. It was just how the story went.

Making it near the front of the train she saw Draco Malfoy without his loyal servants—Friends. Not even that annoying Pansy Parkinson was there. Sighing for the second time since being on the train she slid open the compartment door and coughed quietly to get his attention. He looked at her and glared. If it was any other day she would have returned the jester, but she just wasn't in the mood.

"Everywhere else is full," She said. "Do you mind if I join you?" Angeline asked. Draco just looked at back out the window. Rolling her eyes she closed the compartment door and sat across from him.

As they sat there in silence she watched him noticing how he had changed since the end of last term. He had grown even taller, she could tell without having him stand up. He also looked a quite bit thinner than she remembered him to be, it wasn't drastic, but it was enough for her to notice.

"How was your summer?" She asked him quietly. He looked at her as though just realizing she was there for the first time. She figured Draco Malfoy wouldn't answer her and if he did it would have followed with an insult, because that's how things went when she was around him. She'd say 'Good day?' and he'd insult her...Simple as that.

"Just peachy," Draco replied. She noticed the bite in his tone.

"Yeah...Mine wasn't to my liking either." Angeline said quietly. "Excited for this year?" She questioned.

"Why are you still talking?" He snapped at her. Angeline jaw tightened as she looked away from him and to the sliding compartment door. Pansy along with Crabbe and Goyle. Could Angeline's life get any better?

"Oh, Draco there you are, I've been looking everywhere for you." She said sitting next to him. Angeline didn't miss Draco rolling his eyes and smirked slightly. So he found his little pet to be annoying as well. "What is she doing here?" Pansy questioned looking at Angeline with much hate. Angeline returned the favor by glaring back at her.

"Is a person not allowed to converse with her fellow housemate?" Angeline asked.

"Honestly didn't know you could talk, Jensen," Pansy said.

"Wouldn't think you'd understand human talk," Angeline replied. She noticed the corner of Draco's mouth twitch upward slightly.

"Why don't you just leave?" Pansy snapped pulling out her wand. Angeline looked at the offending thing and then up at Pansy, she was sure she could beat her in a duel if it ever came down to that.

"Hex me all you want, I'm not leaving," Angeline said looking away from her and to the window. Pansy did something of a growl as she sat down beside her precious Draco. Angeline continued to watch the scenery past them by as she half listened to the idiots, Crabbe and Goyle argue over something useless, at least they were sitting a little away from her. She didn't look away from the window until the compartment door opened once again.

Blaise Zabini entered the compartment and was in the process of closing the door behind him when it wouldn't close.

"What's wrong with this thing?" said Blaise angrily as he continued to try to slam the door close. Suddenly the door pushed open and Blaise who had been still clinging to the handle topped over sideways and into Goyle's lap. Angeline couldn't help but giggle at the sight at the same time this happened she was sure she felt a shift on the seat she was sitting on. She must have been imagining things as her attention went back to the group across from her. Angeline saw how Draco watched the overhead luggage rack before he looked at the argument still going on.

It didn't last long as everything was finally situated around them. Draco had laid his head on Pansy's lap and the girl was overjoyed as she stroked his blond hair off his forehead. Angeline didn't miss the look she was went by Parkinson. Like she cared about the odd Draco-Pansy relationship. Blaise looked at Angeline for a moment before giving her a curt nod in which she returned with a small smile.

Draco went on the question what the new teacher Slughorn had wanted. Angeline only listened to half of what was going on. With the mention of Death Eaters she watched Draco's face go angry but continued to watch as he forced a humorless laugh. She forgot his father was currently in Azkaban...That's something you shouldn't forget about someone.

"Well, who cares what he's interested in? What is he, when you come down to it? Just some stupid teacher." Draco yawned. "I mean, I might not even be at Hogwarts next year, what's it matter to me if some fat old had-been likes me or not?" Angeline took interest in this and actually paid attention to the conversation.

"What do you mean, you might not be at Hogwarts next year?" said Pansy indignantly, ceasing grooming Draco.

"Well you never know," said Draco with the ghost of smirk. "I might have---er---moved on to bigger and better things."

Crabbe and Goyle were gawping at Draco; apparently not knowing of any plans to move on to bigger and better things. Zabini had allowed a look of curiosity to mar his haughty features. Pansy resumed the slow stroking of Draco's hair, looking dumbfounded. Angeline stared at him as her stomach knotted slightly.

"Do you mean---_ Him?_" Pansy questioned. Draco simply shrugged.

"You can't possibly mean, You-Know-Who..." Angeline said frowning. Draco narrowed his eyes at her and she decided then to keep her thoughts to herself. Draco went on talking as though she hadn't spoken a word.

"Mother wants me to complete my education, but personally, I don't see it as that important these days. I mean, think about it...When the Dark Lord takes over, is he going to care how many O.W.L.s or N.E.W.T.s anyone's got? Of course he isn't.... It'll be all about the kind of service he received, the level of devotion he was shown."

"Any you think _you'll_ be able to do something for him?" asked Zabini scathingly. "Sixteen years old and not even fully qualified yet?"

"I've just said, haven't I? Maybe he doesn't care if I'm qualified. Maybe the job he wants me to do isn't something that you need to be qualified for," said Draco quietly.

Crabbe and Goyle were both sitting with their mouths open like gargoyles. Pansy was gazing down at Draco as though she had never seen anything so awe-inspiring. Angeline stared at him too, but looked away and out the window.

"If it's true then, Malfoy...Whatever it is, it's a suicide mission." She said breaking the silence. So much for keeping her thoughts to herself. Draco sat up and his glare intensified on her. She met his gaze unfazed.

"I can see Hogwarts," said Draco his glare never actually leaving Angeline's face, but she sure as hell wasn't looking away first. "We'd better get our robes on." He said turning away from her.

Goyle stood up and grabbed his trunk, in the process Angeline was sure she heard someone gasp in pain as she looked up at the luggage rack. Draco had done the same thing.

The train had finally stopped with one final jerk and everyone was out of their seat to head out. Angeline had the fortune to being stuck behind Pansy as she held her hand out for Draco to take.

"You go on," Draco told Pansy. "I just want to check something." Angeline laughed quietly at Pansy's dejected face as she followed the girl out of the compartment leaving Draco Malfoy alone to whatever it was he needed to do.

Dinner had been quite eventful, with Harry Potter walking in with a bloodied nose to the announcement of Snape becoming the Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher. Angeline found her odds of passing DADA fall even shorter now...She may be a Slytherin but she wasn't on Snape's short list of favorites...At least she was a bar above Potter...

Shortly thereafter Professor Dumbledore sent them all off to bed. Classes of course would start the next day and it would surely be one hell of a year, after all this was Hogwarts after all...

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**So here's my try of trying to work in an OC into a great story...Tell me what you think. Flames will be laughed at however. =P**

**Happy Holidays to everyone!**

**-TwilightRaver  
**


	2. Chapter 2

**Wow, I'd like to thank you for all the lovely reviews!_ IWriteSinsNotTragedies95,__ ninjaa michaela x, lil miss wifey, carpe-diem-1299, emo-ranch, Bailee. Nicole. 1010_, and _Flicka200_, thank you for reviewing! **

**And thank you to all those that added this story to their alerts and favorites!**

**Disclaimer:** Ms. Rowling owns practically everything here...But I do own Angeline.

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Angeline walked at a slow pace on her way to Potions. Her day so far had been going quite well, she was left alone for the most part, which was quite unusual for her, she normally had horrible first days. Though the only downside to her day had been during the morning classes when she had Defense Against the Dark Arts with Snape. They had been working on nonverbal spells and Angeline wasn't terrible at them it was just that as she waited for that Hufflepuff Ernie Macmillan to preform a spell for her to block she began to block out the world instead which caused her to go flying into an opposite wall. Never had she seen someone so scared in her life. She merely shook it off and told him she was fine. Still Macmillan didn't seem at ease then.

_Poor bloke probably thinks I'm out to get him now._ Angeline thought as she came to a stop at the Potions room. She noticed Macmillan there and apparently the only Hufflepuff and she couldn't help but giggle lightly to herself. At least he had Potter and company.

"Laughing at nothing, Jensen?" Angeline looked up at Draco Malfoy. "You must be going mad," he finished.

"Aren't we all a little bit mad, Malfoy?" she questioned.

"Most certainly not," Draco replied. Angeline didn't get the chance to reply back as the dungeon door opened and Slughorn's belly preceded him out of the door. As they filed into the room, his great walrus mustache curved above his beaming mouth. Angeline personally thought mustaches were disgusting and unflattering, but Slughorn seemed like a nice enough man.

The dungeon was, most unusually, already full of vapors and odd smells. Angeline sniffed the air like many of her classmates were. Angeline sat at the first empty table she saw and was some what shocked to find the three other Slytherins sitting with her. Looking around she realized their were only a dozen students in the classroom. All of which sitting with their housemates, except Ernie who as Angeline suspected was the only Hufflepuff in the room and he sat with the three troublemakers of Gryffindor.

"Now the, now then, now then," said Slughorn, whose massive outline was quivering through the many shimmering vapors. "Scales out, everyone, and potion kits, and don't forget your copies of _Advanced Potion-Making_...."

"Sir?" said Harry, raising his hand.

"Harry, m'boy?"

"I haven't got a book or scales or anything-- nor's Ron –we didn't realize we'd be able to do the N.E.W.T., you see--"

"Ah, yes, Professor McGonagall did mention...not to worry, my dear boy, not to worry at all. You can use ingredients from the store cupboard today, and I'm sure we can lend you some scales, and we've got a small stock of old books here, they'll do until you can write to Flourish and Blotts..."

"Shouldn't be allowed to take the class without the supplies." Draco mumbled from Angeline's right as Slughorn strode over to a corner cupboard. Angeline rolled her eyes and chose not to reply as Slughorn made his way back to the front.

"Now then," said Slughorn, returning to the front of the class and inflating his already bulging chest so that the buttons on his waistcoat threatened to burst off, "I've prepared a few potions for you to have a look at, just out of interest, you know. These are the kind of thing you ought to be able to make after completing your N.E.W.T.s. You ought to have heard of 'em, even if you haven't made 'em yet. Anyone tell me what this one is?"

He indicated the cauldron nearest the Slytherin table. Angeline looked at it and say it looked like plain waiter boiling inside it. The name of the potion was on the tip of her tongue.

"It's Veritaserm, a colorless, odorless potion that forces the drinker to tell the truth," said Hermione Granger. Angeline did a little nod as she remembered now. Leave it to Granger to always have the answer.

"Very good, very good!" said Slughorn happily. "Now," he continued, pointing at the cauldron nearest the Ravenclaw table, "this one here is pretty well known....Featured in a few Ministry leaflets lately too...Who can--"

"It's Polyjuice Potion, sir," once again Hermione answered. Angeline couldn't help but shake her head at the girl. It was like her life depended on answering questions.

The next potion was of course answered again by Hermione. It was a love potion, a powerful one at that. Angeline found it amusing that Slughorn would have that particular potion out considering that this was after all a room filled 'hormone ranging teenagers'.

"Granger? Granger? Can you possibly be related to Hector Dagworth-Granger, who founded the Most Extraordinary Society of Potioneers?" Angeline found this moment to pay attention again, she really needed to work on her wandering mind.

"No, I don't think so, sir. I'm Muggle-born, you see."

"Won't be liking her much now that he knows she's a filthy Mudblood." Draco whispered to Theodore Nott both of them snickered at this and Angeline narrowed her eyes at both of them.

"Oho! _'One of my best friends is Muggle-born, and she's the best in our year!'_ I'm assuming this is the very friend of whom you spoke, Harry?"

"Yes, sir," said Harry.

"Well, well, take twenty well-earned points for Gryffindor, Miss Granger," said Slughorn genially.

Angeline watched as Draco's face dropped. She smirked and leaned over to whispered something to him.

"Well, Malfoy...Would seem like our teacher here isn't a prick like you."

"Oh, shut your mouth," Draco whispered back.

Slughorn went on to explain the essence that was the love potion; Amortenia. He claimed it was the most dangerous potion in the room at the moment. Which Angeline could see why, but apparently Draco and Nott didn't think so.

_Let Parkinson get a hold of that, Malfoy...You won't be laughing in the end._ Angeline shivered at the thought.

"And now," said Slughorn, "it is time for us to start work."

"Sir, you haven't told us what's in this one," said Ernie pointing at a small black cauldron standing on Slughorn's desk. The potion with was splashing about meerily; it was the color of molten gold, and large drops were leaping like goldfish above the surface, not a single particle spilled.

"Yes. That. Well, _that_ one, ladies and gentlemen, is a most curious little potion called Felix Felicis. I take it," at that moment, Hermione had let out an audible gasp. Slughorn turned and looked at her smiling. "I take it that you know what Felix Felicis does, Miss Granger?"

"It's liquid luck," said Hermione excitedly. "It makes you lucky!"

At that moment everyone seemed to up a little straighter. Even Angeline thought she could use a little luck. Draco beside her especially looked interested, he had finally decided to give Slughorn his full undivided attention.

Slughon proceeded to tell them the dangers of this funny little potion. He even mentioned to have taken the potion himself twice once when he was twenty-seven and again when he was fifty-seven.

"And this potion," Slughorn said, "is what I shall be offering as a prize in this lesson." It had gotten so silent, Angeline thought, that no one was breathing. "One tiny bottle of Felix Felicis," said Slughorn, taking a minuscule glass bottle with a cork in it out of his pocket and showing it to them all. "Enough for twelve hours' luck. From dawn till duck, you will be lucky in everything you attempt.

"Now, I must give you warning that Felix Felicis is a banned substance in organized competitions...sporting events, for instance, examinations, or elections. So the winner is to use it on an ordinary day only...and watch how that ordinary day becomes extraordinary!

"So," said Slughorn suddenly brisk, "how are you to win my fabulous prize? Well, by turning topage ten in your books. We have a little over an hour left to us, which should be time for you to make a decent attempt at the Draught of Living Death. I know it is more complex than anything you have attempted before, and I do not except a perfect potion from anybody. The person who does the best, however, will win little Felix here. Off you go!"

Everyone moved about drawing their cauldrons toward them. Nobody dared to speak as they weighed their contents. Angeline watched Draco riffle feverishly through his copy of _Advanced Potion-Making_. It was clear to her that he really wanted to have that bottle of luck.

Angeline glanced around to see what everyone else was doing, and noticed no one else was going any better than she was. Within ten minutes, the entire room was full of bluish steam and Angeline still felt as though she wasn't getting anywhere.

"Sir, I think you knew my grandfather, Abraxas Malfoy?" Draco said as Slughorn came toward the Slytherin table. Angeline watched the interaction and saw that Slughorn really had no interest in Draco.

"Yes," said Slughorn, without looking at Malfoy, "I was sorry he had died, although of course it wasn't unexpected, dragon pox at his age...." And he walked away.

Angeline stared after him before she looked back at Draco. And naturally he was glaring after the professor for being so dismissive.

"Looks like you'll have to rely on that potion to win you that liquid luck," Angeline said to him as she began to work on her potion again. "Nothing like Snape, I say. He absolutely adored you...As much as Snape can adore someone that is."

"Would you just shut it?" Draco snapped. "I like you a whole lot better, Jensen, when you're silent."

"Well she's telling the truth, Malfoy," Blaise said speaking for the first time since class started. "You've got to rely on the talent you don't have," Angeline swore if she hadn't been standing in between them and a very important potion wasn't on the line, then Draco may have whipped out his wand and attacked Blaise.

"Shut it the both of you." Draco growled going back to working on his potion.

Slughorn continued to make his rounds and everyone continued to work in almost complete silence.

"And time's...up!" called Slughorn. "Stop stirring, please!"

Slughorn went from table to table not saying much only sniffing or stirring some cauldrons as he went along. He reached Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Ernie's table and it was then that he smiled. More specifically when he looked into Harry's cauldron.

"The clear winner!" he cried. "Excellent, excellent, Harry! Good lord, it's clear you've inherited your mother's talent. She was a dab hand at Potions, Lily was! Here you are, then, here you are—one bottle of Felix Felicis, as promised, and use it well!"

"Bloody hell," Angeline mumbled as she watched Harry slip the tiny bottle of golden liquid into his inner pocket. "Merlin," she began in disbelief.

"Since when has Potter done well at potion making?" Draco snarled cutting off her statement.

"Oh stop pouting," Angeline said turning to her cauldron to begin cleaning. "What do you need it for anyway, Malfoy? I highly doubt you needed it. You probably wanted it just so no one else could have it. It's how your parents raised you."

"What's it matter to you?" He asked glaring at her. "What did you want it for since you're one to judge."

"I wanted it just for that reason...I wanted it. I don't necessarily need it...I just wanted it to have it." Angeline said looking at him now. "I am a selfish person," she stated. Draco studied her for a second before he scoffed and looked away from her.

"Bloody unbelievable, this girl..." he mumbled just as the bell signaling the end of class rang.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Angeline asked following him out of the room and lucky for them right behind, Potter and his friends. And for that reason Draco didn't answer her right away.

"You obviously take me for some twit," Draco said once they turned the corner heading to the Slytherin common room. "You know a lot about other people, far more than they'd like you to know...yet you don't seem to know anything about yourself, making up things for people to see you the way you want them to making them stay away from you. And because of that, people see you as being this silent girl, with no friends, that simply enjoys watching people and solving them, because she can't solve herself." Angeline stopped in her tracks for a moment before she caught back up to him.

"You don't know a bloody thing about me, Malfoy," she said to him. They both stopped at the common room entrance. Draco said the password before turning to look at her fully.

"And you don't know a bloody thing about me, Jensen," he said walking into the common room.

Angeline entered after him, no longer feeling like the day had been that great. She was angry now. Angry that Draco Malfoy of all people said exactly what was on her mind her entire life. And all it took was her claiming she knew things about him...maybe she didn't know everything about everybody. Or maybe she should learn to keep her opinions to herself...

"Not likely to happen..." she muttered as she stormed her way past the lingering first years. Angeline really hated the first day of classes.

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**So that's that...I really hope you liked it! And I hope you holidays are going well!**

**Sincerely,  
TwilightRaver**


	3. Chapter 3

**Once again thank you so much for the support! Thanks to_ vampire-angel1996_, _emo-ranch_, _ninjaa michaela x_, for reviewing! And thanks to those who added this to their favorites/alerts! Means a lot to me!**

**Disclaimer:**_ I solemnly swear_, I do not own the Harry Potter franchise...The genius goes to Ms. Rowling. I however own Angeline Jensen.

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It was mid-October when the first trip to Hogmeade came along. Angeline thought they should have canceled the entire trip considering that Filch was triple-checking everyone with his Secrecy Sensor. She thought it was an idiotic thing to do...Did it matter if they were smuggling Dark objects _out_ of the school?

Patiently she waited for him to finish searching her with the stupid sensor. Once he was done Angeline began her walk to Hogsmeade, which turned out less than enjoyable. It was frighteningly cold and the wind hit the exposed parts of her face and made it feel numb. For a moment she debated heading back to the school, but decided against it.

Up ahead of her was Crabbe and Goyle without Draco. She hadn't actually talked to Draco since that day in Potions about a month ago. Instead she left him alone as he left her alone only speaking when asking to pass ingredients in Potions. In that time though she saw a change in Draco. A few times she saw him sneak out of the common room with Crabbe and Goyle and returned almost right before classes. Causing him to have unattractive dark rings under his eyes. What did hit matter to her though?

Still it made her curious as she sat in the Three Broomsticks, sipping from her bottle of butterbeer (though she would would have preferred firewhiskey). Sighing she placed her bottle back on the table and watched her surroundings. What Draco Malfoy did and didn't do wasn't her concern. But why did it bother her so much?

"Jensen," Angeline looked up and into the pug face of Pansy Parkinson and behind her Millicent Bulstrode. "Tell me where Draco is." Pansy ordered. Angeline raised an eyebrow, what did she look like? Draco's keeper? Angeline hadn't seen him since breakfast and assumed he was in Hogsmeade like the rest of them.

"What's wrong, Parkinson? He finally given you the slip?" Angeline asked instead. "Afraid he'd fine someone a lot prettier than you...which isn't hard considering you look like a troll." Angeline smirked at Pansy's reddening face.

"You're just jealous!" Pansy screamed at her. Angeline only smiled more as people started to stare in their direction. "What are you smiling at? You know it's true! You've been trying to take, Draco away from me since the train ride. You want him!" Angeline scoffed.

"People aren't objects, _Pansy_." she said. "I don't **want**, _Draco_, you annoying dog. And I definitely don't want to take him away from you...because quite frankly you don't have him now do you?"

Pansy pulled out her wand. Angeline's hand twitched to the wand in her own pocket. "How dare you try and embarrass me?" Angeline shrugged as more people stared.

"Oh you didn't need me for that," Angeline said still smiling. "Take a look around." Pansy did and if possible her face reddened even more. She let out a frustrated growl as she stowed away her wand.

"Stay away from, Draco," Pansy snapped turning on her heel. "Come on, Millicent!" she barked heading to the door. Angeline watched them leave thinking that one day she'll end up attacking Parkinson. Let's see her point her wand at her again, Angeline may retaliate.

Angeline's attention went to Harry, Ron, and Hermione as they entered the Three Broomsticks. It was very evident that Harry had been upset about something, but Angeline didn't find it of any interest to pay any attention to their conversation. Mainly because she wasn't in hearing distance.

After finishing the last of her butterbeer Angeline gathered her things and left the pub, Katie Bell and her friend Leanne only a moment behind her. Angeline felt as though this trip to Hogsmeade was a downer, nothing exciting had happened.

Behind her she could hear Katie and Leanne arguing over something but she was too cold to really care about what they were arguing about. Besides it wasn't any of her business.

Angeline froze in mid-step as she heard a terrible scream behind her. She whipped around to see Katie suspended six feet off the ground screaming in terrible anguish. Katie continued to scream and Leanne screamed too and seized Katie's ankles, trying to tug her back to the ground. Angeline rushed back to them just as Harry, Ron, and Hermione rushed forward. Katie fell on top of them; Harry and Ron managed to catch her but she was writhing so much they could hardly hold her. Instead they lowered her to the ground where she thrashed and screamed, apparently unable to recognize any of them.

"Stay there!" Harry shouted at them all. "I'm going for help!" Angeline watched him sprint in the direction of the school. At the moment she dropped to the slushy ground next to Katie placing Katie's head on her lap to try to keep Katie from hitting her head on possible rocks beneath the slush.

"It's going to be okay," Angeline said as Katie continued to whither and scream in pain.

Ron, Hermione, and Leanne tried their best to get the girl to quiet down. Angeline looked around and sighed in relief when she saw Harry and Hagrid running toward them.

"Get back!" shouted Hagrid. "Lemme see her!" as gently she could Angeline laid Katie's head back on the ground and backed away from the girl.

"Something's happened to her!" sobbed Leanne. "I don't know what —"

Hagrid stared at Katie for a second, then without a word, bent down, scooped her into his arms, and ran off toward the castle. Within seconds, Katie's piercing screams had died away and the only sound was the roar of the wind.

Angeline stood there shaken, as Hermione hurried over to Katie's friend to put an arm around her.

"It's Leanne, isn't it?"

Leanne nodded.

"Did it just happen all of a sudden, or—?"

"It was when that package tore," sobbed Leanne, pointing at the now sodden brown-paper package on the ground, which had split open to reveal a greenish glitter. Ron bent down, his hand outstretched, but Harry seized his arm and pulled him back.

"_Don't touch it!"_ Harry said crouching down next to the package.

Angeline walked closer to look at the package as well. An ornate opal necklace was visible, poking out of the paper.

"I've seen that before," said Harry, staring at the thing. "It was on displayed in Borgin and Burkes ages ago. The label said it was cursed. Katie must have touched it." He looked up at Leanne, who had started to shake uncontrollably. "How did Katie get hold of this?"

"Well, that's why we were arguing. She came back from the bathroom in the Three Broomsticks holding it, said it was a surprise for somebody at Hogwarts and she had to deliver it. She looked all funny when she said it....Oh no, oh no, I bet she'd been Imperiused and I didn't realize!"

Leanne shook with renewed sobs. Hermione patted her shoulder gently.

"She didn't say who'd given it to her, Leanne?"

"No...she wouldn't tell me...and I said she was being stupid and not to take it up to the school, but she just wouldn't listen and...and then I tried to grab it from her...and— and —"

Leanne let out a wail of despair and Angeline felt bad for the girl...her friend could die...

"We'd better get up to school," said Hermione, her arm still around Leanne. "We'll be able to find out how she is. Come on...."

Angeline watched Harry hesitate for a moment, then pull off his scarf and carefully covered the necklace in it and picked it up.

"We'll need to show this to Madam Pomfrey," he said. He and Ron began to follow after Hermione and Leanne when Ron stopped muttered something to Harry before he turned around to look at Angeline as she just stood there still shaken. Harry stopped too and looked back at her as well.

"They'll want to talk to you too...So are you coming or what?" Ron asked her not very kind, Angeline noted. Angeline blinked a few times before walking toward the two Gryffindors. It was obvious to her that he was reluctant to call to her. After all she was was just a lonely snake in a pack of lions.

The three of them continued to follow Hermione and Leanne up the road, in mostly silence. It wasn't until they had reached the school grounds when one of them spoke.

"Malfoy knows about this necklace. It was in a case at Borgin and Burkes four years ago, I saw him having a good look at it while I was hiding from him and his dad. _This _is what he was buying that day when we followed him! He remembered it and he went back for it!"

Angeline shot Harry a look, he spoke as though she wasn't even there, as though she wasn't a member of Malfoy's house.

"That's absurd, Potter," Angeline snapped at him. "Anyone could have bought that necklace!" she said. "Besides what are you doing following, Malfoy?" Harry stared at her for a moment before looking at Ron, who looked just as shocked.

"I — I dunno, Harry, she has a point," said Ron hesitantly and a little annoyed that he was agree with a Slytherin. "Loads of people go to Borgin and Burkes...and didn't that girl say Katie got it in the girls' bathroom?"

"She said she came back from the bathroom with it, she didn't necessarily get it in the bathroom itself—"

"McGonagall!" said Ron warningly.

The three of them looked up at Professor McGonagall hurrying down the stone steps through swirling sleet to meet them.

"Hagrid says you five saw what happened to Katie Bell— upstairs to my office at one, please! What's that your holding, Potter?" Angeline wanted to correct her, she had only saw Katie Bell screaming in the air...

"It's the thing she touched," said Harry.

"Good lord," said Professor McGonagall, looking alarmed as she took the necklace from Harry. "No, no, Filch, they're with me!" she added hastily, as Filch came shuffling eagerly across the entrance hall holding his Secrecy Sensor aloft. "Take this necklace to Professor Snape at once, but be sure not to touch it, keep it wrapped in that scarf!"

Along with the others Angeline followed Professor McGonagall upstairs and into her office, it wasn't like Angeline had, had much of a choice in the matter, she was dragged into something just because she tried to help...she didn't actually see what happen only that Katie screamed and was suspended in the air. She was of no use to them...not that they would accept that answer.

Upon entering the room, they were reunited with Hermione and Leanne who was still sobbing.

"Well?" she said sharply. "What happened?"

Haltingly, and with many pauses while she attempted to control her crying, Leanne told Professor McGonagall what had happened. When she got to the part about the argument, Leanne was so overcome, there was no getting another word out of her.

"All right," said Professor McGonagall, not unkindly, "go up to the hospital wing, please, Leanne, and get Madam Pomfrey to give you something for shock."

When she had left the room, Professor McGonagall turned back to the remaining four. Angeline was hoping she'd be dismissed as well, she was really useless in this.

"What happened when Katie touched the necklace?" Angeline gave an audible sigh, in attempt say she didn't know what happened and could she be excuse. But unfortunately things didn't go the way she wanted them to.

"She rose up in the air," said Harry, before anyone else could speak, "and then began to scream, and collapsed. Professor, can I see Professor Dumbledore, please?"

"The headmaster is away until Monday, Potter," said Professor McGonagall, looking surprised.

"Away?" Harry repeated angrily.

"Yes, Potter, away!" said Professor McGonagall tartly. "But anything you have to say about this horrible business can be said to me, I'm sure!"

Angeline found herself hoping he didn't say that absurd idea of his. It was ridiculous, Draco may be an annoying git a times and a bully, but to give someone a cursed necklace was just...It was stupid!

"I think Draco Malfoy gave Katie that necklace, Professor."

On one side of him, Ron rubbed his nose in apparent embarrassment; on the other, Hermione shuffled her feet as though quite keen to put a bit of distance between herself and Harry. Angeline who stood on Ron's other side turned and glared at him.

"There you go again, Potter!" she said. "What's wrong with you? You can't just go around saying things like that! I don't care who you are!"

"Miss Jensen, please," McGonagall said. Angeline turned back around and crossed her arms in front of her chest. "That is a very serious accusation, Potter," she said after another moment had passed. "Do you have any proof?"

"No," said Harry, "but..." and he told her about following Malfoy to Borgin and Burkes and the conversation they had overheard between him and Mr. Borgin. It was official in Angeline's eyes, Harry Potter was mental...Yes, she was all keen on him fighting You-Know-Who, but The-Boy-Who-Lived was mental...then again, you had to be to go up against the darkest wizard of their time.

When he had finished speaking, Professor McGonagall looked slightly confused.

"Completely mental..." Angeline said a little louder than intended.

"Miss Jensen," Professor McGonagall said warningly before looking at Harry again. "Malfoy took something to Borgin and Burkes for repair?"

"No, Professor, he just wanted Borgin to tell him how to mend something, he didn't have it with him. But that's not the point, the thing is that he bought something at the same time, and I think it was that necklace—"

"You saw Malfoy leaving the shop with a similar package?"

"No, Professor, he told Borgin to keep it in the shop for him—"

"But Harry," Hermione interrupted, "Borgin asked him if he wanted to take it with him, and Malfoy said no—"

"Because he didn't want to touch it, obviously!" said Harry angrily.

"Oh God," Angeline muttered in disbelief. He should just leave well enough alone.

"What he actually said was, 'How would I look carrying that down the street?'" said Hermione.

"Well, he would look a bit of a prat carrying a necklace," interjected Ron. Angeline rolled her eyes...and here she thought things couldn't get any more ridiculous...At the very moment she'd believe anything, Granger said. She was right about everything else.

"Oh, Ron," said Hermione despairingly, "it would be all wrapped up, so he wouldn't have to touch it, and quite easy to hide inside a cloak, so nobody would see it! I think whatever he reserved at Borgin and Burkes was noisy or bulky, something he knew would draw attention to him if he carried it down the street— and in any case," she pressed on loudly, before Harry could interrupt, "I asked Borgin about the necklace, don't you remember? When I went in to try and find out what Malfoy had asked him to keep, I say it there. And Borgin just told me the price, he didn't say it was already sold or anything—"

"May I leave, Professor?" Angeline said trying to get out of this room before she did something to Potter...he wasn't winning this silly argument. Unfortunately she went unheard.

"Well, you were being really obvious, he realized what you were up to within about five seconds, of course he wasn't going to tell you— anyway, Malfoy could've sent off for it since—"

"That's enough!" said Professor McGonagall, as Hermione opened her mouth to retort, looking furious. "Potter, I appreciate you telling me this, but we cannot point the finger of blame at Mr. Malfoy purely because he visited the shop where this necklace might have been purchased. The same is probably true of hundreds of people—"

"—that's what I said—" muttered Ron.

"—and in any case, we have put stringent security measures in place this year. I do not believe that necklace can possible have entered this school without our knowledge—"

"But—"

"—and what is more," said Professor McGonagall, with an air of awful finality, "Mr. Malfoy was not in Hogsmeade today."

Angeline couldn't stop herself from smirking as Harry gaped at McGonagall. Sure she assumed, Draco was in Hogmeade, but now she felt better about defending him earlier.

"How do you know, Professor?" Angeline rolled her eyes, he just won't stop will he...

"Because he was doing detention with me. He has now failed to complete his Tranfiguration homework twice in a row. So, thank you for telling me your suspicions, Potter," she said as she marched past them, "but I need to go up to the hospital wing now to check on Katie Bell. Good day to you all."

She held open her office door. They had no choice but to file past her without another word. Not that Angeline minded, she didn't understand why she wasn't dismissed to begin with.

She moved her way around the three Gryffindors before Hermione called out to her.

"Um, Angeline?" Angeline turned to look at the girl with a raised eyebrow. "You won't tell will you?"

"Tell what? How you three stalked, Malfoy?" Hermione reddened slightly. Angeline just shrugged her shoulders. "Word of advice, you shouldn't talk so much if you're afraid people may...spread the word." she told them before turning on her heel and walking away from them.

By the time night came around, the story of what had happened to Katie Bell had gotten around to person to person. Of course the story was different depending who was telling it. Angeline highly doubted that anyone other than those there knew what the true story was.

It was extremely late when Angeline sat in the Slytherin common room. No one else was awake so she found it relatively peaceful if not haunting. It made her wonder if other common rooms had that feeling to them at night.

Angeline laid across the dark green leather sofa while she stared into the fire, lost in her own thoughts. She thought about her parents, and how much she hated them. She thought about why she was placed into Slytherin. She thought about Potter and how he was so certain that Draco had given Katie that necklace. She thought about Katie and how much pain she had been in. She even thought about Draco and how there was something off about him.

She jumped when she heard the entrance to the common room open. Sneaking into the common room was Draco along with Crabbe and Goyle...though those two idiots looked a little dumber than usual.

Draco froze when he noticed her sitting in front of the fire.

"What are you doing up?" He asked as he motioned for Crabbe and Goyle to head to the bedrooms.

"Should be asking you the same thing," Angeline said once the two buffoons were gone. "Had a bit of trouble sleeping is all." She answered as he walked toward the sofa she was sitting on. Feeling kind she pulled her legs up to her chest, hugging them.

Draco sat down and began to stare into the fire like she had been doing moments before he entered. Angeline rested her head on her knees as she studied his stressed face.

"What have you been up to?" She asked casually.

"I don't think that's any of your business," Draco said meeting her gaze.

"True," she said, "Katie Bell was cursed today," Angeline said trying to change the subject.

"So, I've heard," he said looking back at the fire.

"No shocker there, nothing around here stays quiet for long. It was really frightening though...never seen anything like it." Draco's head snapped in her direction.

"You were there?" he asked.

"Yeah, I was...I had been up ahead of them when I heard her scream...It was horrifying." Draco only looked away again. "Potter, claims you gave Bell the necklace," Draco tensed when she said this, but he refused to look at her.

"And what gave him that idea?" Angeline shrugged. She wasn't going to tell him they followed him to Borgin and Burkes, she had some respect for the Gryffindors...just some.

"Who knows, you two are what? Sworn enemies...but personally, I think he's mental..." she said. "I mean it's completely absurd, you may be a prick, but you're not evil...At least I don't think you are." Angeline felt as though she had said to much, because he looked at her again.

"And what makes you think I'm not?" he asked.

"Malfoy, do you think you're evil?" she inquired.

"I don't know what I think anymore," Draco said. It was Angeline's turn to look away from him.

"You are what you want others to believe you are, but I'm sure you'll figure it out sooner or later..." Angeline said after a few moments had passed. She stood from the couch and stretched with a small yawn. "Well, I'm off to bed....I suggest you do the same, you seem really stressed, a little sleep may help your troubles." she said heading toward the dorms.

"I highly doubt that," Draco mumbled.

"What was that?" Angeline asked turning back around.

"Nothing," he answered. Angeline nodded more to herself than at him as she turned again, but she stopped once again and faced the back of his head.

"Um, Malfoy..." Draco turned around on the sofa to look at her. "I have to say; it was _interesting_ talking to you..." she paused, "Good night, Draco." Finally satisfied she turned around and disappeared down the dark corridors filled with dorms.

Draco slowly turned back around to face the fire. He wasn't sure how long he sat there staring at it, he had far too much on his mind. He didn't understand why he actually talked with Angeline nor did he understand why she actually found their conversation _interesting_ it wasn't like he gave her reason to find him as such. He didn't understand why he found her interesting either. He definitely didn't understand how he was going to pull off what he had to do...everything was starting to seem useless.

Running a hand through his hair, Draco stood up from the couch. Bringing out his wand he doused the fire and slowly trekked his way to his dorm...hoping to get the sleep he knew he wasn't going to get.

* * *

**Well, that's that. I hope you enjoyed this chapter!**

**I'm curious what you guys think. =) So leave a review!**

**Oh and one more thing...do you want this story to be a Draco/OC romance? Because even though I planned for a friendship fic...I feel like it's not going to go that way. Hm, let me know!**

**_Mischief Managed_,  
TwilightRaver**


	4. Chapter 4

_**Wotcher****! **_

**First I liked to thank;_ ninjaa michaela x_,_ vampire-angel1996_, _annouska_, and _L.A.H.H._ for reviewing last chapter! Your reviews mean a lot to me! Also thanks to everyone that added this story to their alerts/favorites! Again it makes me happy! And I hope this doesn't disappoint any of you!**

**Second...Well there is no second just that I worked really hard on this chapter!  
**

**Without further ado here's the next chapter!**

**Disclaimer:** Once more I do not own any of this...except for Angeline.

* * *

The second week of November brought the first Quidditch match of the season; Slytherin versus Gryffindor. Angeline always liked Quidditch, but she hated that the idiots in her house **refused **to let a girl be on the team...there hadn't been one in _years_. Nevertheless she still would support her house during their games, even if they cheated from time to time (_all the time really_), she'd still wear her green and silver.

At breakfast there was a buzz of excitement like with any Quidditch game being held. Angeline found it ridiculous that her housemates would hiss and boo every time a member of the Gryffindor team would enter the Great Hall, but then again that was was just the aspect of a competitive sport.

There was more hissing and booing as Harry Potter and Ron Weasley walked into the Great Hall. From the Gryffindor table there were cheers which if Angeline hadn't been sitting at the Slytherin table was sure the Gryffindors over powered the hisses and boos with their cheers. Angeline looked up at the ceiling and saw the clear, pale blue sky: a good omen, but for what team?

"This is horrible," she heard Daphne Greengrass say as she sat down at the table across from her. Angeline didn't have too much of a problem with Daphne, but she'd like her a lot better if she didn't hang around with Parkinson so much. Regardless of that fact, she didn't understand why she was talking to her right now...

"What's horrible?" Angeline questioned.

"You haven't heard?" Daphne asked. Angeline fought the urge to roll her eyes.

"Obviously not," but she didn't fight the annoyance from dripping into each word.

"Vaisey isn't playing, he's the best goal scorer," Daphne said. (_But not the best flier_, Angeline thought.) "He was hit with a Bludger yesterday during practice...Why haven't you heard this yet?" Angeline shrugged her shoulders.

"Had detention last night with Flitwick, got in late," Angeline answered.

"And Draco won't be playing either, says he's sick,"

"He says he sick." Angeline repeated skeptically just as Parkinson sat down next to Daphne.

"Are you talking about Draco, Jensen?" Pansy questioned.

"We were, Daphne was telling me about how our team has temporarily lost two players," Angeline said. "Malfoy must be terribly sick to miss the game against Gryffindor."

"Poor thing is in bed, he didn't want me to stay and take care of him," Pansy said.

"I wouldn't want you to take care of me either," Angeline said before she could stop herself. Pansy glared at her.

"Why are you even talking to this useless twit, Daphne?" Pansy snarled. Daphne said nothing as Angeline and Pansy glared at one another.

"The best insult you can think of, Parkinson?" Angeline asked. "I must say, you're losing you're touch." With one final glare Pansy stood from the table her nose in the air.

"Come on, Daphne, they're starting to head to the pitch," Angeline watched Daphne rise from her seat and follow Pansy out of the Great Hall.

"Someone needs to put her in her place," Angeline said to herself as she watched them exit the Great Hall.

"Then why don't you do it?" Angeline jumped as she turned to her left and looked at Blaise Zabini.

"What could I possibly gain from that?" Angeline asked as she studied him. She never had a problem with him, he was just as 'antisocial' as she was maybe more, and she attended the Yule Ball in the fourth year with him (though neither of them really had a choice but to attend so went with each other). Angeline however she didn't like his personal views on Muggle-borns...Which lined up with the stereotypical Slytherin...lines she did not fit.

_And he's very much aware of this. So why put up with me?  
_

"Satisfaction," Blaise stated simply. Angeline looked over at him as they stood to leave for the pitch. "Don't think I haven't noticed that twitch in your wand hand whenever she's around. Not to mention the clenching as well...I have a feeling that if you don't use your wand, you'll definitely use your fist."

"I don't think violence would solve anything," Angeline said once they were both seated in the stands. Blaise looked at her.

"Perhaps, but you can't avoid the inevitable." Angeline gave a humorless laugh just as the whistle was blown on the field.

"And what's that? Attacking Parkinson?" Blaise shrugged as he looked out on to the field as the game had just started.

"Maybe you can avoid being like your parents, Jensen, but you can't avoid being their daughter. And you can't avoid your own feelings. You can only distract yourself with other people's problems for so long. Especially, Malfoy's..."

"Someone like you talking about feelings? And my well being?" Angeline asked. "Must have fallen and bumped your head, Zabini. I suggest taking out that mirror of yours and checking for some bumps."

Commentary had started and it was done by, Zacharias Smith. In Angeline's opinion the biggest prat in Hufflepuff, maybe the whole school. She sure was going to miss, Lee Jordan's commentary...

"Well, there they go, and I think we're all surprised to see the team that Potter's put together this year. Many thought, given Ronald Weasley's patchy performance as Keeper last year, that he might be off the team, but of course, a close personal friendship with the Captain does help...."

Immediately there was a greeting of jeers and applause all around Angeline. She rolled her eyes. Insane, she thought Harry Potter to be, she had a feeling that, he wouldn't put people on his team just because they were friends.

_He after all held, tryouts._ She thought bitterly as she glared at the Slytherin Captain, Urquhart as he flew toward the Gryffindor goal posts.

"And here comes Slytherin's first attempt on goal, it's Urquhart streaking down the pitch and—" There seemed to be a pause in the air as the Quaffle flew toward Ron Weasley.

"—Weasley saves it, well, he's bound to get lucky sometimes, I suppose...."

Angeline rolled her eyes. That wasn't a lucky save, _anyone_ could see that.

"You're missing the point here, Jensen," came Blaise's voice after the missed shot. She glared at him for ruining her focus on the game.

"Then be ever so kind to point it out," she growled back.

"Someone like Draco Malfoy isn't going to help you any. You don't want to be like your parents it's evident every time someone even mentions the Jensen name. And Malfoy's destined to be just like his own. He'll land in Azkaban just like his father." Blaise said.

"Please, he's harmless," Angeline said. Blaise rolled his eyes.

"And here I thought you were observant." he drawled just as there was an eruption cheers from the Gryffindor side as Ginny Weasley made a goal.

"You act like you weren't there in that compartment and didn't hear everything, Malfoy said." Angeline felt that same unsettling feeling in the pit of her stomach that she felt when Draco talked freely on the ride to Hogwarts.

"You yourself didn't believe him, Zabini. You know as well as I do, that he's mostly talk." Angeline tried to reason.

"Thought so, there's still the possibility that he is all talk. But you must have noticed Malfoy's strange behavior lately. Missing this game for example. He lives for any moment he can get to cause Potter bodily harm without getting in trouble."

"He's sick," Angeline said. Blaise gave a frustrated sigh.

"You believe that just as much as you believe you can fool a goblin with leprechaun gold." Blaise said.

"Why are you telling me all this, Zabini?" She asked a little annoyed.

"Because you obviously find the bloke to be some kind of difficult puzzle. Malfoys aren't difficult to figure out, Jensen. You just want to believe there's more to it because of your own personal problems."

Angeline looked away from him then, just as there was an eruption of the once, Slytherin favorite, but since then the Gryffindors had adopted, "Weasley Is Our King," which in truth she was guilty of singing when it was first written. And felt so much guilt after that game. Now her mind was swimming with everything that Blaise had just told her. It reminded her of the conversation that she had with Draco after their first Potions class. But her mind didn't dwell on it for too long.

"And I think Harper of Slytherin's seen the Snitch!" said Zacharias Smith through his megaphone. "Yes, he's certainly seen something Potter hasn't!"

Gryffindor was only a hundred points up. Slytherin had a solid zero, but if Harper could catch the damn Snitch the game would end giving, Slytherin the win.

She watched in anticipation with the rest of her housemates as Harper neared the Snitch. He was feet from it and his hand outstretched. But something was said that none of their ears could hear as Harper did a double-take and fumbled the Snitch, letting it slip through his fingers. Angeline sighed knowing this was the end and it wasn't a Slytherin win. Harry had caught the fluttering gold ball.

There was a great shout that almost drowned out the sound of the whistle that ended the game. But the action didn't end there. While the other Gryffindors were meeting in hugs, Ginny Weasley sped past them all and with an almighty crash, she collided with the commentator's podium. The crowd shrieked and laughed, as the Gryffindor team landed beside the wreckage of wood under which Zacharias was feebly stirring. Angeline couldn't help but laugh at the Hufflepuff. _Serves him right_. Ginny Weasley deserved a song for herself now. That was brilliant.

* * *

_Why couldn't things just be simple?_

Angeline sat in the common room after dinner her mind racing with so many thoughts. Without a Quidditch game to distract her, her thoughts ran wild...She knew she wore a look of utter discomfort as she thought of what her and Blaise were talking about. When he passed her on his way to his room she made sure to glare at him, one that he merely rolled his eyes at before disappearing.

She sighed as she couldn't think of anything to ease her mind. So theory upon theory popped into that head of hers. All of them theories about Draco Malfoy and the cause of his rare behavior.

Her first theory; Draco's strange behavior came from worry about his mother all alone at Malfoy Manor.

It was possible. _Very _possible. She'd been to Malfoy Manor more than once in her life and she knew just how big it was. Imagining a mother alone without her husband in such a large home would make it very sensible for a son worry.

_If it were me in this situation I could care less..._

Her second theory; he was worried about what Azkaban was doing to his father.

Granted, Angeline didn't like, Lucius Malfoy much and he had made it very clear the last time she saw him that he didn't like her, but Draco idolized his father so it would make sense that he worried about him.

_If it were my father...again, I could care even less..._

Then her final theory which tied into that of her second. Draco was acting the way he was because _everyone_ knew his father was in Azkaban and why he was put there. And there was that unspoken thought amongst the students and some adults that, Draco himself would be a Death Eater.

_I'd act a little odd too if everyone knew about my family business and expected me to be just like my father...Which I don't ever plan to._

Angeline nodded to herself. All that made sense to her. Draco being a Death Eater didn't.

Sure he shared his parents hatred of anything not pure-blood, but surely, Draco was no Death Eater. For crying out loud, he was only sixteen he had no idea what he was getting into. It all may seem all appealing considering they type of environment his parents put him in, but what kind of life would that be. Draco wasn't stupid, she knew this. He wouldn't throw away his life for something so evil...

"Would he?" Angeline questioned out loud.

"Talking to yourself, Jensen? What would mummy and daddy think about that?" Pansy's high pitched voice asked. Angeline looked up at her and glared. Standing faithfully behind Pansy was Millicent and Daphne. Both girls would rather be commanded by the silly pug than be it's enemy. Angeline on the other hand rather liked being the enemy and for the first time in her life she was actually delighted to see Pansy. She needed a distraction. And one came for her...

_And what better distraction than a dog?_

"Mummy and daddy personally think talking to ones self isn't so bad. They say it's far better than barking at everything that moves...I heard your neighbors begged your parents to put their damn dog to rest already, came to shock to them when your parents said it was their daughter barking up a storm." Daphne laughed, just to cover it with a cough when Pansy's red face glared at her. "What's wrong, Parkinson? Oh, I've upset you. If I'd know it were true I wouldn't have been so careless to have said anything at all."

Pansy whipped her head around fixing Angeline with the glare now.

"You better watch your back, Jensen!" she screeched. Daphne and Millicent followed after their _friend_.

Unlike some people who were unpredictable, Pansy Parkinson wasn't one of them. Angeline knew at the very moment, Pansy was trying to do something to her bed. Angeline didn't care what, because she was one step ahead of Pansy...

"Three..." Angeline mumbled, "...two..." A smirk slowly made its way onto her face. "...one..." On cue there was a loud shriek and immediately following suit was Pansy as she came running out of the dorms. Millicent and Daphne right behind her, obviously amused but trying very hard to hide it. Pansy's skin and hair rapidly was changing colors. The entire common room roared in laughter. Pansy glared and stormed her way over to Angeline who was trying very hard not to laugh.

"What did you do to me?" she shrieked. Angeline chuckled a little unable to take it any longer. "Fix me now!"

"Oh darling, I only set up the spell to keep people from my stuff, you only brought it upon yourself."

"Fix me now!" Pansy yelled. Angeline could only smile and shook her head.

"Unless you want me to turn you a permanent shade of puke green, I suggest you go to the Hospital Wing. I'm sure Madame Pomfrey can get you back to some sense of normal. But I'm pretty sure no matter what she does you'll be a tinge green or orange all depending on when you get down there...Regardless the color will last for the next two days."

"Just wait until Draco hears about this!" Angeline rolled her eyes as Pansy stormed out of the common room. The moment she was gone, Daphne outright laughed while Millicent still looked highly amused.

"You do realize you'll have to watch your back," Millicent said as she and Daphne slowly made their way to the exit. Angeline shrugged she felt so much better after that.

"Parkinson doesn't scare me...you can tell her that if you wish." She said.

"Come on, Millicent, Pansy's going to throw a fit if we don't go after her." Daphne said pulling Millicent with her.

_Zabini was right...Sure I didn't do it personally, but it felt great. And I'm satisfied for the time being._

Feeling, for lack of a better word, cheerful, Angeline stood from her place on the couch to play a game of Wizard's Chess with a third year boy whose name slipped her mind. Her mind wasn't racing any longer and what better way than a game of chess to keep it that way.

* * *

It was late when Pansy stormed into the common room, a tinge orange like Angeline had predicted. Daphne and Millicent had returned hours prior and had just recently gone to bed. Pansy glared at Angeline and stormed toward the dorms, probably to tell Draco, not that he would care any. Angeline was positive that he found her annoying too.

"That girl doesn't seem to like you," mumbled the third year boy she had been playing chess with. His name which she learned was, Malcolm Baddock

"And what gave it away?" Angeline asked handing him the bag of chocoballs they were sharing.

"You mean you didn't notice the foaming at the mouth?" Malcolm questioned lightly. Angeline cracked a smile.

It wasn't long after that, when Angeline sprawled out on her favorite couch in front of the fire. Mostly everyone had gone to bed around this point, but Angeline wasn't ready to go to bed. For one she knew Pansy would try to ambush her the moment she walked into that room. And second she was just too awake.

She no longer felt as cheerful as she had hours ago. As she watched the flames of the fire her thoughts were slowly going back to her theories about Draco Malfoy...She didn't care what Blaise said, there was more to Draco and her theories barely touched the surface. She felt like Draco wasn't as shallow as he appeared to be.

Her mind didn't go far when her legs were pushed to the floor and someone sat right where they had been.

"Tell me, Jensen," Draco started, "why, you thought it was a good idea to turn Pansy orange." he said looking at her annoyance very evident on his handsome face. Angeline sat up and glared at him for causing her discomfort. On top of that it was bad enough he was constantly in her thoughts, but now he was there sitting no more than a foot away.

"I personally think she looks better orange," Angeline said. Draco didn't look very amused. "Are you more annoyed I turned your girlfriend orange or that she complained to you about for almost two hours straight?"

"She's not my girlfriend," Draco said rolling his eyes.

"Is she aware of this?" Angeline asked. Draco sighed.

"Who puts a jinx on their bed to keep people from messing with it?" he asked.

"Someone with serious trust issues," Angeline replied easily. "Seems it paid off, hm?"

"I'd say...It was brilliant." Draco mumbled. Angeline raised an eyebrow. Did he just say something she did was _brilliant_? "Tell anyone I said that and you're dead, understand?"

Empty threats. Draco couldn't kill a fly.

_There's nothing about him that screams, Death Eater..._

"Yeah my lips are sealed." she said. "Sorry you had to deal with her...Seeing as you were ill, you'd think she'd back off a bit. Which reminds me...Are you feeling better?"

"Much," Draco replied a little too quickly for Angeline's liking. She nodded absently.

They sat there in silence the only sound was that of the crackling fire. She took then to actually take in his appearance. He didn't look like someone who just wanted to get out of bed and walk around the common room some. He was dressed as though he was going some where. He himself was growing paler...She saw him everyday, but she never really took in just how pale he was becoming.

"You still seem a little bit stressed...I remembered a while ago, I suggested that you get some sleep. Did you get any while we were all at the game?" she asked after a few moments.

"Some," Draco answered after awhile. Angeline tilted her head, she had a deep feeling that he was lying, but she ignored it.

"That's good...I wish you weren't ill today and could have played in the game."

"Who knew Angeline Jensen was a fan of mine...then again how could she not?" Angeline rolled her eyes.

"It's just not a Gryffindor versus Slytherin game unless you're out there...Don't think I fancy you or something." she said. "I'm sort of shocked to see that you didn't try to get the game postponed. Harper's a lousy Seeker in my opinion. Attention span is no good."

"That's why he's on reserves."

"Even better reason to kick him off the team. There are better players in our house." Draco raised an eyebrow.

"Oh yeah? Who?" Angeline shrugged. "You're talking about yourself, aren't you?"

"I'm no Seeker," she said. Draco studied her.

"Perhaps Beater, then?" Draco questioned. "Surely you're not built for it, but I think you've got some pent up anger you want to get out. And that'll make up for it, I'm sure."

"Chaser actually...What makes you think that?" Angeline asked. "You know, think that I have pent up anger?" she clarified. Again he studied her and scoffed.

"Go get some sleep, Jensen," he said looking away. "You look like something the hippogriff dragged in."

"How lovely...Great charm you've got there, Malfoy." Angeline replied but stood up to go to bed anyway. "No wonder girls find you so _irresistible_."

"Naturally," Draco drawled.

"You're so full of yourself, you know that?" Angeline asked amused. Draco merely shrugged. "Good night, Draco...Stay out of trouble." She said heading towards the dorms.

"Jensen," Angeline turned and looked at him. He was standing and facing her now his hands in his pockets. "Have you stopped trying to solve other people yet?"

Angeline only stared at him.

"I take that as a no then. And you should really stop doing it. You'll only be disappointed in the end."

"What?" she asked him.

"Good night, Angeline." Draco said turning on his heel and exiting the common room. She was going to follow him but she was roughly pushed from behind.

"Move," Crabbe and Goyle were the ones that pushed her as they too headed out of the common room. She watched the exit disappear and thought about following again...but changed her mind.

"Why is he so shady?" She asked herself as she headed to the dorms.

Entering her room she quietly headed toward her trunk and changed quickly before going to lay on her bed. Laying on her side she stared at the green canopy curtains.

Draco and Blaise both had pointed out how she used other people's problems to avoid her own on two separate occasions. And today they both pointed out that she saw people as a puzzle. It sort of angered her, because it was the truth...and the truth hurts.

But she couldn't stop not now at least. It was what she was so used to doing, for years. She spent her time studying her fellow school mates learning more about them than they'd want people to know. There were a few though that she couldn't figure out, because they weren't interesting enough or they were just too hard of a puzzle. And those were her favorites. Draco Malfoy was her favorite puzzle this year. Because she thought she had him figured out years ago, but he made her see him differently the moment she sat on the train with him at the beginning of term and the more she thought about him the more thoughts popped into her head.

Angeline ran a hand through her hair. All her thoughts lately went back to Draco. Every single one of them. Everything Blaise said only made her think of Draco. Something Blaise obviously didn't want her to do. And neither did Draco for that matter. And from there it only made her ever running mind run faster.

Draco's behavior would make anyone suspicious. And Blaise shared a room with Draco which may have made him suspicious...And where were Crabbe and Goyle going? They did anything Draco told them to do. Better question...where was _Draco_ going? Why was he usually out when everyone was sleeping? She never believed he was sick, but that didn't mean anything did it?

She was going drive herself insane like this!

_Whatever, the main thing is...Draco Malfoy is _not_ a Death Eater...Right?_

Angeline sighed as she turned onto her stomach."Right..." she mumbled into her pillow. Sleep taking a lot longer to come to her than she would have liked.

* * *

**Malcolm Baddock is a legit character, I didn't make him up. And he is a third year if my math is correct...Anyway he was sorted in 1994 and placed in Slytherin, Fred and George Weasley hissed at him. Other than that, nothing else is quite known about dear Malcolm, so I decided to throw the poor forgotten character a bone. **

**Uh...I think that's it. Any questions? Just ask me! I always reply! :)**

**You know what to do! Go on now! Review!**

**_Weasley is _my_ king,  
_Twilightraver**

**PS: I got a twitter (I've gone and joined the bandwagon) so you can follow me there and get the latest on my stories! It's located on my profile! :)**


	5. Chapter 5

**How's everyone doing?**

**Here I am again with another chapter! And before I start I'd like to thank; ****_L.A.H.H., annouska, vampire-angel1996, Treacherous Darkness, xxkpxx, carpe-diem-1299, ninjaa michaela x_, and _SlytherinxPrincess,_**** for reviewing the last chapter! And a thanks to those who favorite/added this their alerts! Means a bunch!**

**I hope you all enjoy this chapter!  
**

**Disclaimer:** I still don't own the rights to Harry Potter, imagine that...

**

* * *

**

The first week of December had rolled in leaving behind the very uneventful yet eventful November behind. In the past weeks, Angeline had managed to avoid Pansy's multiple attempts of revenge. The girl was far too predictable. On top of that, Angeline keep a good eye on Draco...he was separating himself even more from people as the weeks went on. It was very rare when the two of them were alone and when they were neither of them said much. Their eyes would meet and he'd look away and go on with his business, it was as if he never wanted to be alone with her. Then there was Blaise, he'd given her, her space but she never missed a disapproving look he'd send her occasionally. Not that it matter to her, she was used to disapproving looks, her parents gave her them all the time. All Blaise was missing was the verbal (amongst other) assaults to put the cherry on top. But again it didn't matter to her.

Outside of her house problems she had witnessed the odd behavior between Gryffindor's favorite trio. More specifically, Hermione Granger avoiding Ronald Weasley while Harry Potter tried to keep some type of peace within the friendship. And from what Angeline had observed the source of the problem was Lavender Brown. Ron had started to date (_if one could call it dating_) Lavender following the Gryffindor win against Slytherin. Angeline was sure she wasn't the only one who found the coupling strange. And this said coupling had left Hermione rather..._emotional_. Angeline thought was the best way to describe her. It was obvious to Angeline (and probably the majority of the school except the Weasley himself) that the Muggle-Born Witch was undoubtedly in love with him. And if Angeline knew any better she was sure the Weasley felt the same, though he was far too stubborn to admit to himself let alone anyone else that he loved_ —loves_— Hermione Granger, resident human library.

_Love_. Angeline thought to herself as she sat in the library absently twirling her wand between her fingers. She frowned at the thought, she wasn't sure she had ever experienced love before. Merlin knows her parents weren't the best when it came to the emotion. They loved one thing and one thing only, and it wasn't her.

But there was a time a few weeks following her fifteenth birthday and the return of the Dark Lord did her parents drag her along for a vacation in July. On this vacation she met this French wizard by the name of Clément Pelletier, he was a only a year and a half older than she was and he seemed to have understood her like no one else ever did and that had drawn her to him.

In short she thought she loved him in only a few days of knowing him, and it had seemed it was the same for him as well. But she realized later that it was never love, but just a silly school girl infatuation. That he never loved her, she doubted he even cared for her at all and all it cost her was what she cherished most, something she'd never get back...Angeline never believed in happy endings, and he just gave her more proof not to believe.

_I'm such a stupid girl..._

She was humiliated by him no longer than twelve hours later when he introduced her to his _girlfriend_. Angeline had _trusted _him. The look on his face, the utmost satisfaction at what he was doing made her so sick. He'd only used her. Angeline remembered running away in tears, and begged her mother and father to take her home. They obliged though unkindly and she paid for it later. Angeline clearly remembered that being the last time she begged for anything, and the last time she had ever cried.

_ Love...Love caused pain. I don't think I understand love. Love is _**complicated.**

Angeline shook her head of the thoughts and closed her eyes briefly. She had longed stopped twirling her wand as she visited the unwanted memory. Sighing she put her wand back into her robes. Standing and stretching briefly, she began to put all things back into her bag deciding it was a good time to go to dinner, she'd wasted enough time. Grabbing her bag she mumbled a quiet farewell to the passing Madame Pince.

After dropping her bag off back in the Slytherin common room, Angeline headed to the Great Hall and as she thought she was practically the last one one in. There were a few from the other house strolling in behind her. She glanced at the Slytherin table and sighed when seeing the table almost completely full. The only seat left open was across from Pansy and to make this even better, in between Draco and Goyle. Running a quick hand through her hair she made her way to the seat. None of them looked at her until she had sat down.

Draco glanced at her as though curious before he went back to staring absently back at his plate. Goyle stared at her open mouthed and Angeline scrunched her nose up in disgust as she got a full view of whatever he had been eating.

_And _**he**_ has the nerve to call himself a respectable pureblood. _

Blaise looked at her indifferently before he too had gone back to his plate. And then Pansy as she expected glared at Angeline for what Angeline thought clearly meant; "_How dare you sit next to _**my **_Draco?_" Angeline almost—_almost—_laughed as the Pansy like voice popped into her head.

_I seriously need to get out of this school..._

"Why are you sitting _there_?" Pansy questioned as Angeline started to place food onto her plate.

"Obviously trying to enjoy a meal, Parkinson. Is that a crime?" Angeline asked.

"You're not wanted here," Pansy said. Angeline shrugged her shoulders and picked up her fork.

"You sure everyone feels that way?"

"Draco feels that way." Pansy announced automatically. Angeline felt the blond next to her shift, his arm bumping hers as he brought it up to run a hand through his hair in a lazy manner.

"Shut up, Pansy," Draco drawled. His icy gaze actually causing Pansy to recoil in what looked like fear as he looked at her. "I could care less about where Jensen sits. So don't you dare say you know how I feel. Grow up." Angeline was shocked by how cold he sounded. She'd known Draco for more than half her life and she'd seen him act cold to people, she was usually one of those people his coldness was directed at (though not so much this year). And this was the coldest she had ever heard him sound.

_What was going on?_

There was silence amongst them all as they finished their dinner. Pansy would occasionally throw Draco a glance, but if he noticed he ignored her completely.

_Pathetic Parkinson._ Angeline thought, then smirked to herself. If she was really **that** shallow Angeline would have made sure the name stuck. But she let the name stay within the confines of her mind.

As the minutes ticked on in the silence around the sixth year Slytherin's Angeline could swear she saw Draco's eyes flicker her way from time to time, but she chose to focus on what remained on her plate than acknowledge this.

When dinner had ended they all had found their way out of the Great Hall immediately and were heading to the common rooms. Angeline watched as Draco immediately disappeared before she even made it through the doors of the Great Hall. Pansy had disappeared too apparently hoping to get him alone and do Merlin knows what. Angeline shuddered.

"What's the matter, Jensen?" A haughty voice questioned. Angeline sighed as she looked at Blaise Zabini. It was only a matter of time before he came back to bug her. No matter how much she complained about his attitude, he was possibly the only person she'd ever come close to calling a friend. Which Angeline found very comedic, because who could forget the Sorting Hat's song.

___Or perhaps in Slytherin. You'll make your real friends._

"Just thought of something is all..." she replied. She glanced over at him and sighed for what must have been the tenth time that hour. "What do you want?" she asked.

"What makes you think I want something?" Blaise sneered.

"You've got that look on your face. The one you get when you want something, but you really don't feel like asking for it." Blaise narrowed his eyes at her as they entered the common room behind some fourth years. "Come on, out with it, Zabini. It's been a long day and I just want to rest." Blaise sighed this time.

"I'm sure you've heard about Slughorn's Christmas party."

"How could I not?" Angeline questioned crossing her arms over her chest. "You're supposed to have a date right?" She asked calmly.

"Precisely," Blaise answered. A look of distaste crossed his face. Angeline knew Blaise kept his social life a secret, but she also knew he had a girlfriend in Italy. Many would call Angeline a liar if she released this information. And Blaise would be most annoyed if she did. She had come across this little relationship by accident when she picked up the letter from _Jessible_.

Blaise Zabini didn't have a reputation for having girlfriends and he liked it that way. In fact there was always question about whether or not he liked females and that annoyed him greatly. When she asked him why he didn't just tell people she got a response she never thought he'd give. Just because his mother had more (dead) husbands than need be and had no problem sharing that with the public, didn't mean he wanted everyone to know his business. If Blaise ever gave Angeline a reason to respect him. That was it.

"Let me guess, I'm the least pathetic date you can possibly think of." Angeline stated.

"You know me well, Jensen," Blaise said.

"Not much to know,"Angeline replied. "I'll be your date, Zabini...I use the word very loosely by the way." She said. Blaise rolled his eyes.

"You of all people know _I_ don't want to date _you_." Blaise said. "But the party's the twenty-first. It's formal so try to look nice will you?" It was Angeline's turn to roll her eyes.

"In other words don't embarrass you..." Angeline said. Blaise smirked.

"I knew you weren't _completely_ useless." He said walking past her. Angeline shook her head and headed toward the girls dorms. Sometimes she just wanted to rip his head off.

* * *

Angeline laid in bed glaring at the top of her canopy bed. She pulled the watch she kept under her pillow out and nearly screamed when seeing the time. She stuffed the object back where it belonged. It was nearly three in the morning and Pansy had been on a rampage about how, Draco was pushing her away for no reason at all. It was evident that Daphne nor Millicent wanted to hear any of this, but Pansy always got what she wanted and right now she wanted them to listen to her.

"Then he pulled his wand on me!" Pansy shrieked. Angeline's hand instantly enclosed itself around her own wand. She had heard this same line about a hundred times in the last twenty minutes alone.

_Why didn't he use it on you?_ Angeline wanted to ask, but knew it wouldn't benefit her any. Pansy let out another shriek of complaint. Angeline's teeth gritted together as she lifted herself from her bed. Apparently she wasn't going to get any sleep tonight. Not that she usually did. But a few hours would have been nice.

Angeline pulled back the green canopy curtains in anger. The action apparently startled the other girls in the room as they jumped a little. Clutching her wand Angeline slid out of bed and slid her slippers on.

"And where do you think you're going?" Pansy asked. Angeline ignored her as she walked out of the room. She wasn't sure where she was going but she hoped that a walk around the castle would be enough to calm her down and give Pansy enough time to talk herself to death.

The corridors were cold, dark, and silent as Angeline made her way quietly through the castle. This wouldn't be the first time she'd walked the halls past curfew. She had made it a habit of hers in her third year only being caught twice, once by Filch and the other by Lupin. When Lupin caught her he didn't even take points away from her house. He simply told her not to wander any longer because it was dangerous. He was by far her favorite Defense professor and it didn't matter to her that he was a werewolf. There were somethings people didn't have control over and that was one of them.

With her wand clutched in her right hand she proceeded up the Grand Staircase, keeping to the shadows as much as possible and keeping a look out for Filch or any professors patrolling the halls. She had no idea where she was going, not even when she had made it to the seventh floor with no incident whatsoever.

Relaxing a little she still walked quietly down the long corridor. However she felt as though there was something off about that particular floor. As though there was something or someone there that shouldn't have been. But then again she was someone who shouldn't have been there. Angeline turned a corner and in the very moment she was pushed against the wall by some spell. She was in so much shock by the action she didn't even scream, she didn't even manage to raise the wand that now rolled away from her. But she did notice the hawthorn wand pointed in her face and the pale face of Draco Malfoy as he glared at her clearly annoyed.

"What if I'd been a teacher?" Angeline asked after a few moments passed between them. Draco didn't even make to lower his wand.

"No teacher walks around as quietly as you do. You could have been one of those good for nothing Gryffindors." Draco replied. Angeline barely heard him as she was more focused on the wand pointed at her.

"I'd appreciate it if you lowered your wand," she said.

"What are you doing up here?" Draco asked as he lowered his wand, but hadn't put it away.

"Your girlfriend is complaining about how you don't give her enough attention." Angeline replied squinting at the ground trying to locate her wand. Draco let out a frustrated groan.

"Jensen—"

"—she's not your girlfriend. I know." she interjected. "Do you mind lending me a little bit of light for a moment?" she asked. For an instant the corridor was lit. It was enough for Angeline to locate her wand made of ash wood. She scooped it up and turned to face Draco again. He wasn't looking at her but rather over her head, which wasn't very hard for him consider she was a good five to six inches shorter than he was. She looked over her shoulder but saw nothing so she turned to look at him again.

"What are you—" For the second time in that hour she was shocked when Draco grabbed her arm and dragged her into the empty Arithmancy classroom. "What did you do that for?" Angeline asked turning to face him. Draco leaned with his back against the door and fixed her with an annoyed stare.

"If you'd been quiet you would have heard the footsteps approaching us." he whispered. They were silent and Angeline could hear the sound of someone walking past the door. "Seriously, Jensen, I liked you a lot better when you _didn't _talk. What's with the sudden change?" Angeline hoisted herself up onto a desk, automatically swinging her legs back and forth.

"What's with _your _sudden change?" Angeline asked. Draco didn't look away from her like she expected him to do.

"My father's in Azkaban, my mother's worried sick, and I'm stuck here. You know your everyday situations." Draco said. Angeline looked away from him and to the window that let the moon shine through. That was one of the downsides of having your common room underneath a lake...You couldn't see the outside world.

"How is your mum?"

"Weren't you listening?" Draco snapped. Angeline slowly turned her head back into his direction.

"I don't mean to pry." she said. They stared at one another for a few moments as if daring the other to look away first. Usually Angeline never backed down from these unspoken challenges, but this time she had to back down and look away first. She felt as though her tired mind was finally catching up to her.

"But you can't help it," Draco began, "because if you didn't you'd be trapped with only your own thoughts. And you don't want that to happen, because they scare you." Angeline had stopped swinging her legs a long time ago, but was just becoming aware of the fact that she had stopped.

"I'm not scared of my thoughts, Malfoy." she said. She knew she sounded defensive. Because she also knew in a way Draco was right. She hated where her thoughts went, and it did scare her to a point.

Draco scoffed and leaned his head against the door, his piercing gray eyes never leaving her light green ones. "You're an incredibly frustration person, you know that? Have you ever sat down and really tried to figure out yourself?"

"Have you?" she snapped jumping from the desk. Draco smirked and lifted his head from the door.

"We both know I've got demons, you just wish you knew exactly what they were. And I drive you mental because I won't give you the satisfaction of knowing. But this isn't about me, Jensen. This is about you. I think it's about time you played your own game."

Angeline stood there almost frozen. She didn't know where this was coming from, but she had to get out of there.

_"You don't know a bloody thing about me, Malfoy,"_

_ "And you don't know a bloody think about me, Jensen,"_

A conversation she had with him months ago. One of them was a liar, and Angeline was that liar. Draco knew things about her, things that she didn't even want to admit to herself...And Draco was right...she didn't know anything about him other than he was changing but even then it wasn't enough. She didn't know what he was thinking, or why he did the things he did recently. He wore his mask and he wore it well.

And he was right about another thing. He did in fact drive her mental. She had made something of an obsession out of figuring him out. Because she knew if she didn't she'd be trapped with her own self...

_And you're always your biggest enemy..._

"I've got to go," she said snapping out of her thoughts.

"Why in such a hurry all of sudden?" Draco questioned almost sounding sincere but she knew better. He was enjoying this to some point and that smirk on his face had never left. "I've figured why you'd want to be a Chaser, because it feels like your running from things. You can leave everything behind you. But like a well aimed Bludger, it'll hit you hard."

"Move..." Angeline couldn't believe how weak she sounded.

"You'd only be proving me right," he said as he slowly moved away from the door. "You hate it when I'm right."

Angeline barely heard him as she pushed past him, and out the door. The moment she was in the dark corridors she broke into a run. Proving him right, but she didn't care. Not this time.

* * *

Draco heard Angeline break into run the moment she was out into the hall. The smirk he had placed onto his face had slowly faded and was replaced with the one he wore most of the time lately. Tortured would probably be the best way to put it. He softly closed the door and leaned against it again. He wasn't ready to go back to the common room just yet.

Slowly Draco slid down to the floor as he reflected on what had just happened. He wasn't sure why he'd pushed her like he did, but he felt like he had to because if he hadn't he would eventually find himself talking to her. Actually telling her what was going on in his mind. And that would be giving her exactly what she wanted, and Draco Malfoy didn't do that. He didn't give anyone what they wanted. So he pushed her, knowing exactly how to do it. Just because he hadn't been a _bully_ most of the term didn't mean he still couldn't do it. He was a Malfoy for crying out loud. Draco sighed and leaned his head against the door again, closing his eyes.

_Doesn't mean much nowadays. _He thought bitterly. But that still didn't take back from the fact he was still a Malfoy and always would be. So making someone feel uncomfortable and inferior wasn't very hard. And he really hadn't thought that it would have been so easy to get to Angeline like he had, he was sure she would have been as infuriating as she usually was.

Yet he had to do it, because even though he found her infuriating, whenever he was around her he always felt at ease, but at the same time felt as though he had to keep his guard up. Draco knew he couldn't feel at ease, he had to focus on the task at hand, the Vanishing Cabinet he'd been working on for months and everything else that went along with it. If he let his guard down, it wouldn't take long for Angeline to figure out what he was. It surprised him that she still hadn't figured it out yet, though he noticed how she could be a little naïve at times.

She wouldn't come to terms well to know he was working for the Dark Lord. He was sure just the thought alone made her cringe and make an excuse as to why he wouldn't be a Death Eater. Draco knew she didn't think he was _evil_. But she had no idea. No idea of what he was capable of. Of what he had already done...even if it was unintentional.

Draco let out a long sigh and opened his eyes. He'd never be able to get rid of her however. She was everywhere. That included his thoughts and he definitely didn't need her there. He wasn't even sure why. She just seemed to always be there.

_She's the one driving _**me**_ mental...Amongst other things..._

Picking himself off the floor he felt like it was probably safe to go back to the common room. It would do him some good to get some sleep. Classes were in a few hours, but like any other night, he knew he wouldn't get any sleep. From the stress of the completion of his task to Angeline and how she sparked his natural curiosity. What was she really scared of?

_You don't have time to dwell on that...Your family is as good as dead if you keep this up._

Running his hand through his blond hair, he left the Arithmancy classroom. But Draco knew there were somethings you just couldn't rid your mind of. Even if you got rid of the problem.

* * *

**I rewrote this chapter, more times than I can remember. I'm not sure, how I like it...**

**I hope you liked it though. **

**Question: Would you like to have a little more of Draco's point of view?**

**Let me know!**

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**Much love!**

**TR  
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	6. Chapter 6

_**Bonjour!**_

**I'd like to thank; _Slytherinxprincess, annouska, carpe-diem-1299, L.A.H.H., vampire-angel1996, midnightsstar9212, ninjaa michaela x, Treacherous Darkness_, and_ goldspleen_ for reviewing the last chapter. You're kind words really inspire me to keep going. Thanks!**

**And thank you to everyone that added this story to their alerts/favorites! That means a lot to me too!**

**This is a fairly large chapter. I hope you enjoy it! =)**

**Disclaimer:** I do not own anything that may seem vaguely familiar. But I do own Angeline. She is mine.

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For the first time in his life, Draco would be completely honest and say he was _livid_ when he received a letter from his mother two days before the start of the holidays, explaining how he just _had_ to come home for the holidays because of a _very_ _important_ Christmas Eve dinner being held by the Jensens. He had planned to spend the holidays at Hogwarts to work on the Vanishing Cabinet and he thought she understood that.

_Obviously not_.

There was one thing she did understand though, and that was Draco never said no to her. Not really that is. He'd do just about anything to make his mother happy. Because well...for one reason and one reason only. She was his mother. So he was going home. Putting his plans on hold to attend some stupid party held by the parents of a girl who had made good work of staying out of his way.

The stupid letter had told him to ask her about the details of the party. And so he looked for her, to ask her if it was her that had _insisted_ to her parents to invite his family to this dinner.

_Just my bloody luck!_ Draco thought as he stormed the hallways. Students from his own house along with the ones from other houses moved out of his way probably afraid that he'd hex them or something if they didn't. _Good_. Draco liked to instill fear in other people.

He entered the library a lot louder than Madame Pince would have liked as she glared at him and shushed him. Draco flashed her a quick grin knowing it would irritate her before wandering further into the library. And there he found her in the far back corner of the library staring out the window at apparently nothing.

He marched his way over to her table and slammed his fist on the table. Angeline jerked and met his stormy gray eyes. Draco saw the shock and curiosity flash across her face before it was replaced with a look of indifference.

"Explain this," Draco said practically shoving the letter from his mother into her face. Angeline raised an eyebrow at the letter then looked back at him.

"That happens to be a folded piece of parchment, Malfoy. What is there to explain?" She asked. Draco didn't know if he should be annoyed or if he should have seen that coming.

"What's written on the parchment, Jensen," Draco saw as she opened her mouth to say something. "And yes, I can read thank you very much." He saw the corner of her lip tug up slightly as she took the parchment from him and read it quietly to herself.

Draco watched as she frowned down at the letter in her hands. When she finished she handed it back.

"It seems that my parents have invited you and your mother to the dinner that they planned. It also seems as though they've used me as part of the reason for your invite. And what was it your mother quoted from them; _Angeline would find it an utmost delight to have Draco be with you._" She said. Draco wasn't sure of the emotion that flashed through her eyes it had come so fast before it was replaced with amusement. "I'm not sure what _details_ your mother assumed I knew, considering I myself just found out about this dinner just this morning...Is there anything else you needed?" she asked.

"You seriously had _no_ bloody idea about this dinner," Draco questioned. He searched her face. In the past few weeks she had stopped being in his presence. Only doing so when they had classes together. And even then she acted as though he wasn't there. There were no moments when she'd meet his glance and look as though she wanted to say something. There were no moments when he'd catch her frowning at him a look of frustration evident in her eyes. She simply never looked at him.

She was slowly fading back into the void she had belonged to before the start of their sixth year, but he still noticed her. He couldn't help it. And right then, he noticed how she looked far too tired for someone their age. He knew he looked far too tired for someone their age too, but this wasn't about him right now.

She was standing now grabbing her things. She smiled a little at him but it didn't meet her eyes. "Absolutely no bloody idea," Angeline said walking around him.

Draco watched her leave, and couldn't help but think there was another meaning to those four words. He couldn't help but think that a little part of her was still playing that stupid little game of hers.

* * *

Angeline stared at her bright green eyebrows in the mirror during Transfiguration. It was the last Transfiguration class before break and they were working on human Transfiguration. According to Professor McGonagall it was difficult, but Angeline found the task quite simple, though Transfiguration was always her best class. Other than her bright green eyebrows her attention was on the dark circles under her eyes. She really needed to get some sleep, she thought of seeing Madame Pomfrey to help with her sudden insomnia, but the medi-witch would try to get her to stay a night in the hospital wing.

And she hated hospitals no matter how small.

Her thoughts didn't linger long on her hate for hospitals until Hermione Granger let out a very unkind laugh. Looking at the predominately Gryffindor side of the classroom like the rest of the class was. Angeline was greeted with a rather amusing sight and laughed a little. Ron Weasley had managed to give himself a ridiculous handlebar mustache, however Hermione's laugh didn't phase the Weasley long as he retaliated by doing a cruel but accurate impression of Hermione jumping up and down in her seat every time Professor McGonagall asked a question. Angeline hadn't found this funny, but Lavender Brown and Parvati Patil found it very amusing as they laughed at their housemate.

Angeline frowned as Hermione turned away tears in her brown eyes. Angeline never thought Lavender and Parvati were very nice to Hermione, which was quite a shame, because Granger would definitely be something big one day. Why not use that to their advantage? Then she remembered...They weren't Slytherins.... Then there was Ron who needed a few whacks upside the head.

The bell sounded and Angeline quickly changed her eyebrows back to their normal color as Hermione raced past her nearly causing Angeline to fall over.

_What does she see in that wanker?_

Angeline thought as she looked back at Ron. He could be very mean at times...Sometimes Angeline wondered how he'd of fared if he'd been sorted into Slytherin, but always banished the thought. The day a Weasley was sorted into the house of the serpent was the day a Jensen was sorted into the house of the badger.

"Well don't you look awful." Blaise had joined her in her stroll to the common room.

"I don't need to be reminded, Zabini. Hopefully I won't embarrass you tonight." She replied though she didn't mean a word of it. She could care less if she embarrassed him.

"I'm sure a little make-up could cure even your imperfections. Merlin knows you're going to need a lot." Angeline glared at him and he returned it with a smirk. "I'm only joking...some what."

"Careful, Zabini...I may just rethink going."

"You wouldn't," Blaise said it in tone that suggested it was a silly thing to say. "Now meet me in the common room at eight tonight. Don't keep me waiting" He said heading to another floor.

"Wouldn't dream of it..." Angeline mumbled just as Peeves went soaring over her head singing;

_"Potty asked Loony to go to the party! Potty lurves Loony! Potty luuuuurves Looooooony!"_

* * *

Angeline had dressed in a dark green dress for the occasion, she'd even successfully covered the dark circles under her eyes with make-up. She sighed as she stared at herself in the mirror. She definitely wasn't going to be the life of the party, but at least she looked decent and green was definitely her color. Glancing at the time she left the empty dorm and headed to the common room to meet Blaise.

She entered the room and realized Blaise wasn't there yet.

_Just like him..._

"Think you're pretty, hm?" Pansy's annoying voice asked. Angeline hadn't been in the mood to deal with her in the last two weeks. Angeline looked to where Pansy sat with Draco, and Daphne. "Not even a sack over her head would make her appealing." Pansy added. Angeline raised an eyebrow. She couldn't hold her tongue any longer.

"At least I can get the sack over my face. Considering the sack wouldn't even go over your face considering how ugly it is." Angeline bit out. Daphne hid her face and Draco looked away as though to hid the fact that he was smirking.

"Well she does have a point, Pansy." Blaise said coming up to stand beside her. "Perhaps you should do something about all that ugly." Pansy turned bright red as Blaise turned to Angeline. He stuck out his arm. "Shall we?" he questioned.

"We shall..." Angeline said taking Blaise's arm and throwing one last glare at Pansy on their way out.

"You clean up nice, Jensen," he said as he lead her up the Grand Staircase.

"So do you," she complimented. "Not going to spend the night calling one another by our surnames will we?" She asked. Blaise looked at her out the corner of his eye.

"Of course not..._Angeline_."

"Very well, _Blaise_. Now where is this party being held?"

"We're almost there."

They reached the sixth floor and Angeline realized the party was in Slughorn's office. The office had to be quite big considering she heard he was inviting quite a lot of people to this party. A lot of _important_ people.

The music could be heard down the hall and Angeline wondered how he managed all this. _But then again you can't doubt magic._ Upon reaching Slughorn's office, they walked into the room and Angeline immediately took in it's stunning appearance.

She wasn't sure if the room was built this way or if Slughorn himself had used some sort of magical trickery to make it look so large. It was much larger than the usual teacher's study. The ceiling and walls had been draped with emerald, crimson, and gold hangings, so that it looked as though they were all inside a vast tent. The room itself was crowded and stuffy and bathed in red light cast by an ornate golden lamp dangling from the center of the ceiling in which real fairies were fluttering, each a brilliant speck of light. Before she could look at those that were in the room Blaise had pulled her along.

"Blaise!" she heard Slughorn boom cheerfully. "And you've brought, Miss Jensen!" Even though he sounded cheerful, Angeline could tell from his expression he was a little...apprehensive. Politely she smiled.

"The place looks wonderful, Professor." she said. He nodded happily and turned to Blaise.

"Enjoy the party," Slughorn said heading over to the door where, Harry Potter had entered with Luna Lovegood. Where Angeline could hear his booming voice once again as he greeted the Boy-Who-Lived.

Blaise proceeded to lead her around the party. She was nothing more than just an accessory. So when Blaise found himself in conversation with a man whose name, Angeline didn't bother remembering she quietly excused herself and headed toward the punch. Blaise could have done that much. Five minutes and Angeline was already bored. On her way to the punch however she bumped into someone with long brown hair.

"I'm sorry...Are you alright...Granger?" she asked. The girl looked as though she was running from something...or someone.

"I'm fine...Who am I kidding, not at all really." Hermione said with a sigh. Angeline raised an eyebrow.

"Well, what or who are you running from?" she asked before she could stop herself. It really wasn't her business, but it was a party and they were supposed to be mingling, right? _Right._ Hermione looked as though she wasn't expecting Angeline to ask her at all.

"McLaggen." Hermione sighed. Angeline shuddered, she found that seventh year Gryffindor to be quite...disgusting.

"Hermione! _Hermione!_" Both girls turned to see Harry Potter dragging Luna Lovegood behind him.

"Harry! There you are, thank goodness! Hi, Luna!"

"Hello, Hermione. Hello...." Luna stopped in her greeting when her big eyes landed on Angeline. Angeline stuck her hand out and the Ravenclaw took it.

"Angeline...Nice to meet you, Luna. Hello, Harry." Angeline replied a small smile gracing her lips. Harry seemed shocked to hear her call him by his first name. She couldn't blame him, the last time she was in his presence she wasn't what one would say kind...

"Hi," Harry said before turning to Hermione again. "What's happened to you?" asked Harry.

"Oh I've just escaped—I mean, I've just left Cormac," she said. "Under the mistletoe," she added in explanation as Harry continued to look questioningly at her.

"I could always keep him...occupied if you want..." Angeline said as she spotted the said Gryffindor across the room. Hermione and Harry both stared at her as if she'd lost her mind.

"You're going to have a nice snog with a Gryffindor?" Harry questioned his dark eyebrow raised.

"Merlin, no!" Angeline nearly shouted. "I'd rather snog someone from you house who didn't act like a troll...But I will keep him busy for a good twenty minutes or so." Angeline said.

"No you should enjoy the party. You—" Hermione said.

"What do plan to gain from this?" Harry asked suspiciously. Angeline resisted the urge to roll her eyes.

"A good laugh or two. Because you know us Slytherins are _always_ up to no good. Now if you'd excuse me, I have a troll to talk to."

Why was she doing this? Well, for one she really was bored, and normally she was against bothering people from her rival house, but considering that no one liked this person. She saw absolutely nothing wrong with having her fun.

"Oh I'm so sorry," Angeline lied when she _accidentally_ bumped into the tall Gryffindor seventh year. In that movement she turned him around and away from where the others had been before she left them. "Cormac McLaggen, right?" She asked feigning interest. "Gryffindor am I correct?"

"Who are you?" he asked her. Angeline smiled.

"Angeline Jensen...sixth year."

"And your house?"

"Slytherin," she replied automatically. McLaggen raised an eyebrow at her. Which she knew would happen. A Slytherin never acted this friendly to a Gryffindor and vice versa. "Did you come alone?"

"No. I'm looking for Hermione Granger. She's in your year..._Gryffindor_." Angeline smiled.

"Granger...You've just missed her actually. Heard her say she needed some fresh air before she headed out the door. I suspect she may have gone to the Astronomy Tower. That's where I usually go at least. It is...quite romantic on a night like this." McLaggen seemed to be weighing her words some. Trying to figure out if she was lying, but what he didn't know wouldn't hurt him.

"Thanks," he mumbled before heading for the exit. Angeline smirked as he disappeared the space he filled up however wasn't unoccupied for long when Blaise stood before her. A look of satisfaction on his face.

"Some people mingle at a party...you send people on wild chases for someone who's standing a matter of twenty feet away from them. Impressive. Though why'd you do it for someone such as Granger is beyond me." He said.

"I was bored. She presented a problem. I took it and sent it on its way. I had my fun." Angeline said. "Is there anything wrong with that?" Blaise studied her for a moment.

"What goes on in that head of yours?" He questioned.

Before she could reply there was silence in the room as Draco was being dragged by the ear by Argus Filch. They were headed in the direction that Slughorn stood with Harry and the others. Angeline raised an eyebrow. Ever since that night in that classroom, she had kept her distance from the sole heir to the Malfoy fortune. Yet she still kept him in her view at all times, but she never let him know that. What he had said to her may have shaken her a little, but she _did_ know at least one thing about Draco Malfoy. And that was he used anything..._anything_ to get what he wanted and that included pointing out others fears, but there was one thing he didn't know about her. And that was she didn't give up that easily. That she would find out what the hell was going on if it were the last thing she did.

She heard Blaise sigh as he gently pushed her toward the small crowd. As much as she knew he hated how she treated Draco as a puzzle, he'd given up at trying to reason with her so she wasn't very shocked when she stood in hearing and seeing proximity and Blaise no where near her.

"Professor Slughorn," wheezed Filch, his jowls a quiver and the maniacal light of mischief-detention in his bulging eyes, "I discovered this boy lurking in an upstairs corridor. He claims to have been invited to your party and to have been delayed in setting out. Did you issue him with an invitation?"

_**Lurking**__ on the seventh floor?_ Angeline thought. _Malfoys don't __**lurk**__._

Draco pulled himself free of Filch's grip, looking furious.

"All right, I wasn't invited!" he said angrily. "I was trying to gatecrash, happy?"

_From the seventh floor? You used to be a better liar, Draco..._

"No, I'm not!" said Filch, a statement at complete odds with the glee on his face. "You're in trouble, you are! Didn't the headmaster say that nighttime prowling's out, unless you've got permission, didn't he, eh?"

"That's all right, Argus, that's all right," said Slughorn, waving as hand. "It's Christmas, and it's not a crime to want to come to a party. Just this once, we'll forget any punishment; you may stay, Draco."

The facial expressions that Angeline saw were...very odd. Filch predictably looked outraged and disappointed yet Draco looked just as unhappy. And then there was Snape whom Angeline had just noticed, looked at Draco both angry...and...afraid? And as soon as the expressions were there they were gone.

Filch had turned and shuffled away, muttering under his breath; Draco had composed his face into a smile and was thanking Slughorn for his generosity, and Snape's face was smoothly inscrutable again.

"It's nothing, nothing," said Slughorn, waving away Draco's thanks. "I did know your grandfather, after all...."

"He always spoke very highly of you, sir," said Draco quickly. "Said you were the best potion-maker he'd ever known."

Angeline studied Draco. She hadn't studied him like this in weeks and she realized just how much she had miss. Not even when he found her in the library the day before did she really take in his appearance. She merely had stayed focused on his stormy gray eyes, and wondered what those emotions were that flicked through them. And now that she watched him now it became apparent that he looked a little ill not the fake ill either. Truly ill. He had dark circles under his eyes and a distinctly grayish tinge to his skin. It made her stomach upset and she felt like she needed to talk to him. Despite that small voice in her head screaming at her not to.

"Draco—" she began her hand outstretched to touch his arm.

"I'd like a word with you, Draco," said Snape suddenly.

"Oh, now, Severus," said Slughorn, hiccuping, "it's Christmas, don't be too hard—"

"I'm his Head of House, and I shall decide how hard, or otherwise, to be," said Snape curtly. "Follow me, Draco."

They left, Snape leading the way, Draco looking resentful. Angeline stood there frozen for a moment. Her hand falling limply by her side.

_"I don't mean to pry."_

_ "But you can't help it,"_

"Going to follow?" Blaise asked his warm breath tickling her ear. Angeline turned and looked at him. "You clearly want to."

_I do want to..._

"You're ridiculously curious." Blaise said. Angeline said nothing. "Curiosity killed the cat, Angeline."

"Satisfaction brought it back." She mumbled. She glanced at the door before looking at him again. "Satisfaction brought it back nine times." she said.

_And you Angeline...Are no cat..._

"Let's just go get some punch, hm?" She questioned. Blaise apparently wasn't expecting her to say such a thing.

* * *

Draco noticed Angeline the moment he was dragged into Slughorn's Christmas party. He noticed how she managed to stand near him yet far away enough as she listened to what was going on. He noticed how she sounded _concern_ when she said his name reached out to him only for Snape to come and drag him away. He noticed how she watched him leave, conflicted between keeping her space or following.

He noticed how she_ didn't_ follow.

Snape had dragged him into the last classroom in the corridor. Draco was very tempted to tell him to go to hell and leave Snape there. But he knew he couldn't. Snape had finally gotten him cornered and he would have to listen to the man he'd been avoiding as much as possible all term.

"You screwed up once Draco, earlier this year. You most definitely cannot afford mistakes, Draco, because if you are expelled—" Draco had to cut him off. As if he didn't know this already! As if it wasn't constantly on his mind!

"I didn't have anything to do with it, all right?" Draco hoped that would be the end of it and he could be on his way. He didn't want to deal with this. Not now.

"I hope you are telling the truth, because it was both clumsy and foolish. Already you are suspected of having a hand in it." Draco glared at Snape.

"Who suspects me?" Draco asked angrily. "For the last time, I didn't do it, okay? That Bell girl must've had an enemy no one knows about—don't look at me like that! I know what you're doing, I'm not stupid, but it won't work—I can stop you!" Again Draco's glaring at him. He's beyond angry.

_You have __**no**__ rights to my thoughts!_

"Ah...Aunt Bellatrix has been teaching you Occlumency, I see. What thoughts are you trying to conceal from your master, Draco?"

"I'm not trying to conceal anything from _him_, I just don't want _you_ butting in!"

_Only half true..._

"So that is why you have been avoiding me this term? You have feared my interference? You realize that, had anybody else failed to come to my office when I had told them repeatedly to be there, Draco—"

"So put me in detention! Report me to Dumbledore!" Draco jeered. He was riled up by then. Nothing could be said to bring him down now.

"You know perfectly well that I do not wish to do either of those things."

"You'd better stop telling me to come to your office then!" Draco knew his voice was beginning to rise, but he couldn't bring himself to care.

"Listen to me," said Snape, his voice had gotten low. "I am trying to help you. I swore to your mother I would protect you. I made the Unbreakable Vow, Draco—"

_Oh, cry me a river Snape. That's your bloody own fault!_

"Looks like you'll have to break it, then, because I don't need your protection! It's my job, he gave it to me and I'm doing it, I've got a plan and it's going to work, it's just taking a bit longer than I thought it would!"

_A bit is an understatement, Draco..._

"What is your plan?"

"It's none of your business!"

"If you tell me what you are trying to do, I can assist you—"

"I've got all the assistance I need, thanks, I'm not alone!"

_Yet, I am..._

"You were certainly alone tonight, which was foolish in the extreme, wandering the corridors without lookouts or backup, these are elementary mistakes—"

"I would've had Crabbe and Goyle with me if you hadn't put them in detention!" His voice was louder now. So much louder.

"Keep your voice down!" Snape spat at him. "If your friends Grabbe and Goyle intend to pass their Defense Against the Dark Arts O.W.L. this time around, they will need to work a little harder than they are doing pres—"

"What does it matter?" asked Draco. "Defense Against the Dark Arts—it's all just a joke, isn't it, an act? Like any of us need protecting against the Dark Arts—"

"It's an act that is crucial to success, Draco!" said Snape. "Where do you think I would have been all these years, if I had not known how to act? Now listen to me! You are being incautious, wandering around at night, getting yourself caught, and if you are placing your reliance in assistants like Crabbe and Goyle—"

"They're not the only one, I've got other people on my side, better people!"

_Anyone is better than Crabbe and Goyle..._

"Then why not confide in me, and I can—"

"I know what you're up to! You want to steal my glory!"

Draco's eyes were narrowed into slits as Snape glared at him. He didn't care how he sounded just then. He just wanted to be left alone. But what Snape said next angered him only because the truth hurt.

"You are speaking like a child." Draco recoiled a little at Snapes cold voice. "I quite understand that your father's capture and imprisonment has upset you, but—"

Draco glared again as he pushed himself away from the desk he was leaning against and headed for the door. He flung the door opened and headed down the hall. He had no intentions of going back to the party. Just as he was about to pass the open door of Slughorn's office, Angeline walked out of it.

He knew she was watching him as he walked past and turned a corner. He thought she wouldn't follow him until he heard the clicking of her heels on the stone floor as she ran after him.

"Draco!" she called.

_There it is again...That sound of concern!_

"Draco! Stop! Please!" she managed to catch him and make him stop by grabbing a hold of his arm. Draco wretched his arm away from her as he turned and glared at her. His anger wasn't gone from what Snape said. And apparently it was enough for her to take a small step back.

"What?" he hissed.

"I just..." she swallowed and glanced sideways. "Are you okay?" She asked looking him directly in his eyes. Draco studied her face. There was no pretending. She wasn't being nosy, she didn't want to know if he was okay just to know. It was as though she actually cared if he was fine.

_Why do you care?_ He wanted to ask her. But instead he turned away from her and headed in the direction he was going before she stopped him.

"Everything is just peachy, Jensen," he called over his shoulder. "Everything is fine..." he mumbled to himself.

_Everything is falling apart.

* * *

_

**Well, that's the end of that chapter. I actually liked it. I hoped you did too! **

**A good amount of both Draco and Angeline's point of view right?**

**So go on! Tell me what you thought! Tell me what you think will happen! Tell me what you want to happen!  
**

**Ask me questions. Whatever you want! I'll be waiting! :) All you have to do is click that button! ^_^  
**

_**Au revoir,  
**_TR


	7. Chapter 7

**It's been awhile. In the time I haven't updated, our lovely Tom Felton aka Draco Malfoy won the MTV Villain Award, they've finished filming of the seventh movie, and last but not least that kick ass trailer for the seventh movie. I'm hyped. Are you?  
**

**Now I have to say thank you to; _annouska, vampire-angel11996, L.A.H.H, Treacherous Darkness, kailenna7, midnightsstar9212, Slytherinxprincess, carpe-diem-1299, sage1993, fireborn19, JollyPen, and TuesdayNovember_ for reviewing. Seriously without you I wouldn't have the power to write...And I mean this. Your words mean a lot.**

**I'll let you all be the judge of this chapter...I've beat myself up enough over it. So on ward!**

**Disclaimer: **JK Rowling...I do not envy you.

* * *

It was past noon on Christmas Eve, when Angeline had finally climbed out of bed. She had never slept that late, and was quite surprised that her parents had come to wake her up prior to now. She had slept late the night before being that her mind had been racing and she could not get it to stop.

_Invest in a Sleeping Draught..._She mused for a moment.

It had been three days since she left Hogwarts and returned home for the holidays and it had been four days since she chased Draco down the hall to ask him if he was alright. His face flashed before her eyes every night.

Frowning when she ran her hand through her tangled hair she grabbed the brush on her vanity and brushed her hair as she began to pace the floor. She paused for a moment at her window and thought of that night in corridor and how she ran after Draco. Considering he didn't want anything to do with her, she was going to leave him be, but the look on his face when he had passed by had caught her off guard.

Never in the eleven years of knowing him had she seen him look so...Dare she say..._**Vulnerable**_. He looked as if the world was crumbling right before him and there was nothing he could do but watch as it did so.

It didn't get better, even when she finally caught him. She had grabbed his arm to make him stop. But he had wretched it away from her and glared at her so fiercely she remembered taking a step away from him. Yet she felt as though his anger hadn't been completely directed toward her. Perhaps from what Snape had said?

Regardless, she had gotten the courage to ask him if he was okay. And she felt herself actually caring. She didn't want to know because it would bring her one small step closer to figuring out this great puzzle he presented her with. Her concern for his well being confused her, and by the look that quickly flashed across his face, showed that he too was confused by it.

But he didn't question her, which she was grateful for, because she didn't have an answer. Instead he told her that everything was fine and he walked away from her.

And she didn't believe him at all.

Perhaps it would be easier to believe him if she left him alone like he very much wanted her to. Why was it so bloody hard anyway? Why did she _have to_ feed her curiosity?

There was a knock on her door and she wondered vaguely if she didn't answer whoever was there would just go away. However the door opened. Her mother, Celeste Jensen, stepped into the room, carrying what appeared to be dress robes.

"Still not dressed, Angeline. It's nearly one." Celeste said sitting on the side of her daughter's bed and watched Angeline. Angeline said nothing. Angeline hated both her parents, but she did hate her mother less than her father Demetrius Jensen. But that didn't mean she had much to say to her mother. "From what I can tell you didn't sleep well last night." Celeste continued.

"There's was a lot of my mind."

"Perhaps if you learned to control your thoughts you wouldn't have to worry about that." Celeste said. "But then again, you aren't very good at concealing your thoughts from others either. Pity, considering all the work your father put into it to get you to learn." Angeline didn't fight the scowl that made its way upon her face.

Learning occlumency, before her fifth year had been a bad experience...Especially since it was only a few days after their trip to France. And to say her father wasn't very happy about what he saw, would be an understatement. And it didn't have to do with him being an overprotecting father. More so that he was afraid of her tarnishing the great Jensen name. It would be safe to say that Angeline was _not_ a skilled occlumens, and never would be.

"I suggest getting your attitude into check before the dinner tonight." Celeste said standing up and placing the dress robes on the bed. "Your father and I figured you like these."

_You mean you thought I'd be more willing to keep my mouth shut._

"Get dressed Angeline." Celeste ordered before she left Angeline once again alone in her room. Glancing at the green and silver dress robes, she let out a small laugh. Slytherin colors. An unspoken reminder to tell her to act as though she was expected to act.

_Easy._

"It's going to be a long night." she mumbled to herself before she began to change.

* * *

The guest began to arrive via Floo or apparation at a little after six. Angeline floated from person to person in the ballroom greeting them and overall being nice to Death Eaters. She deemed it bloody hard to do after the first three people. Angeline had no idea how she was going to survive the night. She was extremely grateful that the Dark Lord himself wouldn't be showing up. There would have been no way she would have stayed.

She was already uncomfortable with acting friendly to the people who wanted to kill approximately forty-five percent or more of the wizarding population alone, just because they had _dirty blood_ or supported those of _dirty blood_. She thought it was a bunch of bullocks. Blood was blood, what did it matter?

_Okay acting the way I'm supposed to act isn't so easy after all._

Angeline's train of thought was broken as she entered the parlor and the fireplace roared to life and out stepped Bellatrix Lestrange. Angeline was sure her heart nearly stopped when seeing the woman. She was definitely _terrified_ of Bellatrix. And it just so happens that Bellatrix was married to her mother's cousin, Rodolphus Lestrange.

_Tonight just got better..._

"Good evening, Mrs. Lestrange," Angeline said. Bellatrix looked her over before glaring at her. Angeline recoiled a little just before the fireplace roared and Narcissa Malfoy stepped from it. Angeline was never happier to see a Malfoy in her life. Narcissa always took a liking to her.

"Oh, Angeline. It's wonderful to see you," Narcissa said placing a kiss on each of Angeline's cheeks. Angeline smiled.

"I should be saying that, Mrs. Malfoy. You look lovely by the way." Angeline said. Bellatrix was ignored but not forgotten.

"Where are your mother and father, dear?" Narcissa asked.

"Entertaining guest of course. Dinner will be starting in about an hour or so. Everyone is in the ballroom right now." Angeline explained. "It's just through that door there..." Angeline heard Bellatrix walk away, but she didn't turn to confirm it. "Is Draco not coming?" She asked curiously when Narcissa looked back at the fireplace sadly.

"No, he'll be here. Just taking his time it would seem." Narcissa replied looking back at Angeline. "I must go speak with your mother and father. Mind waiting for Draco and telling him where I've gone?" Narcissa asked.

"Of course not. Please enjoy your time, Mrs. Malfoy." Narcissa patted her softly on her right cheek before leaving Angeline alone in the sitting room.

While alone in the room she greeted approximately six more people, none of which were Draco. She should have known better than to agree to wait for Draco Malfoy of all people, but she couldn't say no to Narcissa...one it would be rude and two...it just didn't seem right. But really she didn't want to wait for Draco Malfoy any longer.

The fireplace roared to life again.

_Speak of the Devil and he shall appear..._

Draco stepped out of the fireplace looking far more determined than Angeline thought he should have looked. He _almost_ looked_ happy_ to see her there.

_You're imagining things, Angeline..._

"Your mum went to talk to my parents," Angeline said. "She wanted me to let you know once you got here." Draco looked her over before he strode over to the sofa behind her and sat upon it in a way that made it look as though he owned the place.

"Good to know." He drawled. Angeline stared at him for a moment.

"They're in the ballroom just through that door." She said.

"I have no intention of going in there, Jensen. At least not yet," Draco replied. "What are you doing awaiting guest like some house elf?" He asked. Angeline shrugged.

"I'm not waiting for guest. Just you." Angeline answered honestly. Draco raised an eyebrow at her. "Your mother asked me to. I agreed obviously."

"Good to see I'm not the only one that can't say no to my mother." Draco said. Angeline shrugged slightly. "It's a bad habit. Next thing you know you'll be going to a dinner party you had no interest in going to."

"I would have been told I was being rude if I did otherwise." she said. "Besides, I'm already at a dinner party I had no interest in going to. But you understand how parents operate..." Angeline trailed off when Draco smirked slightly. _He wants something..._"I think you should go inside now, Draco."

"Me? It's your home, you _should_ be in there," Draco retorted. Angeline must have made a face because Draco looked amused. "It can't be that bad in there, Jensen. _I'm_ here now. Aren't you _utmost delighted _to have me here?" Draco inquired as he stood up. Angeline realized it from part of the letter he had made her read. "I leave when you leave. Why try to get rid of me? I mean doesn't seem like that's what a _friend_ would do."

"I've been under the impression that you want nothing to do with me." Angeline replied honestly. "Friends? Hardly. I don't know where my mother and father got that idea from, but I don't see why I must play along or why you care. It's a little odd that you'd even remotely suggest such a thing as being friends. Why play pretend, Draco?" she asked. Draco's gray eyes locked onto her light green ones.

"Because it's a game and it's what you love." Angeline stared at him for a few moments. "Don't pick now to stop playing." Draco said examining the many things in the room. Angeline watched him slightly confused. "So far it has been quite a boring holiday."

"Are you ill? Have you been drinking, Malfoy?" Angeline questioned seriously before the fireplace roared to life.

* * *

"Are you ill? Have you been drinking, Malfoy?" Draco turned and gave her an amused look before the flames in the fireplace turned green. It was funny she had asked if he had been drinking, because he had been very tempted in doing so before he showed up, but he knew it would have only upset his mother.

Draco watched as Angeline greeted the family that now stood before her, but that wasn't what he was really thinking of. He thought of no matter how this frustrating girl possibly brought some sort of relief to his crazy world. It annoyed him that she did that for him, but he figured it would get him through the night at least. It seemed that whenever she was around he wasn't think about that stupid Vanishing Cabinet and how it _didn't_ work.

"It really is lovely to see you again, Mr. and Mrs. Blishwick. It's nearly been two years since I last saw you. Is all well?" Angeline asked the couple she completely ignored their nineteen year old son, Nathaniel Blishwick standing behind his parents. His eyes met Draco's and he glared. Which Draco returned instantly.

Nathaniel Blishwick was probably the first person he ever hated. Way before Potter. Nathaniel was two years older than he and Angeline were. Whenever there was a chance Nathaniel would make sure to make their lives a living hell.

_Kind of like how you do at Hogwarts? Or rather did do at Hogwarts._

The two older Blishwick's walked past him in that moment with a brief nod and headed into the ballroom where the party was held, leaving the three teenagers alone. Draco walked forward and stood by Angeline's side. Her fist clenched tightly at her sides. Draco would have loved for her to attack the older boy. It wouldn't have been the first time.

"What? No _'glad to see you Nathaniel'_?" the boy questioned as a smirk made its way on his face. "I know I'm glad to see you, Angeline. You've definitely grown over the last two years." Looking her up and down.

"Sickening as usually," Angeline replied. "You can join the other guest just through that door there."

"Want to spend more time with your precious Malfoy I see. Don't you spend enough time together at that lousy excuse of a school of yours? Always knew the two of you would end up together. She always liked you best, Malfoy."

"We aren't together, Blishwick," Draco said automatically.

"I suppose a toy then. There's no secret she'd do _anything_ for you. For _anyone_ really. Just so she can feel _special._" Nathaniel said.

"What are you talking about, Blishwick?" Draco questioned just as as the same time Angeline said;

"You don't have a _bloody_ idea what you're talking about."

"You mean you haven't heard?" Nathaniel continued seriously as though Angeline hadn't said a word. "Tell us, Angeline how is dear Clément Pelletier?" Draco watched the color leave Angeline's face. "It's a sad day when a pureblood shags a mudblood." Angeline looked away from him causing Nathaniel to smirk.

"What's wrong, _Little Angel_, am I too close to the truth for you?"

Draco had heard stories of Angeline being in France the summer before fifth year and having a _relationship_ with some French wizard, but he heard it from Pansy. Not a very reliable source.

"Funny how stories can get around. I've heard a few about you in the last two years." Angeline began suddenly. The color had returned to her face as she glared at him. "Shagging purebloods, half-bloods, and even _mudbloods_ I've heard." Draco had never heard her use the swear. It sounded foreign when she said it. And he oddly enough didn't like her using it. "But you threatened a lot of them did you not? There was one witch that says you told her to keep your," she paused as she looked him up and down, "little friend a secret."

Nathaniel was no longer amused by the conversation.

"What's the matter, _Nathaniel_, am I too close to the truth for you?" she mocked. Draco saw as Nathaniel went for his wand and automatically went for his own as well. Nathaniel's wand poised directly in Angeline's shocked face while Draco's wand pointed in Nathaniel's enraged face.

"Curse her, Blishwick and _I'll _have to retaliate." Draco said. Not that _he cared_ for Angeline's well being he was more than sure she could take care of herself, but something about seeing this self-proclaimed man ready to hex her rubbed Draco the wrong way.

"And why do you care, Malfoy?" Nathaniel questioned though he was still glaring at Angeline, who stared at Nathaniel not the wand in her face. Draco noted she was good at that, avoiding the thing pointed in her face and looking at her attacker.

"She's my housemate, Blishwick," Draco answered. Angeline's eyes flicked into his direction, confusion flashing through her eyes. "Don't mess with her."

"You sure that's all she is, Malfoy?" Nathaniel turned his glare on him. "And what do you think you'll do, Malfoy? You'll be expelled if you use magic outside your pathetic school. Only half way through your sixth year is it, and you think you can take on someone like me? I don't care if the Dark— "

"I suggest you shouldn't push me then. You have no idea what I'll do," Draco interrupted. If Angeline didn't know what he was by now he was completely fine with her not knowing now. And he wasn't going to push his luck. "Besides I doubt her parents would like to find that their daughter has to be sent to St. Mungo's or worse dead on such an important night like this."

"You think they'd care what happens to their blood traitor daughter, Malfoy? That's a laugh," Nathaniel said as he lowered his wand anyway. "I've had enough of dealing with children." With that said Nathaniel pushed his way past the two of them and disappeared into the ballroom.

Angeline slowly turned to him her expression unreadable.

"Why'd you do that?" she asked him.

"My dislike of Blishwick outweighs my dislike of you." Draco replied. Which in a way was the truth. It had always been like that. Even when they were younger. They may not have liked each other but the moment, Blishwick was in the room, it was all ways a different story.

"Well, thanks," she said her expression reading confusion. "Are you positively sure you haven't been drinking?" she questioned.

"Do I look as if I've been drinking?" Draco questioned. Was it so hard to believe he could do something _nice_?

_...Yes..._

"I suppose not," Angeline said after a moment of looking him over. Then she pressed the back of her hand to his forehead. Draco moved away making sure to throw her an annoyed look. "Well you don't seem ill either," she mumbled. "You've definitely got me believing we're friends of some sort." She said. "I'll play _your_ game, Malfoy. Perhaps you'll make getting through tonight a little easier...That is if you're willing to pretend a little longer to be friends with a blood traitor."

"And are you a blood traitor, Jensen?" Draco asked.

"Between us _friends_, I personally couldn't tell you. You can ask around, but I warn you. The answer may vary depending on the person you ask." Draco raised an eyebrow at her. He was a little annoyed by her answer. Why couldn't she just answer the question? He was right it was all a game to her. If she could figure someone out then why couldn't someone else. She never took the time to figure herself out because well...who wants to play a game with themselves?

_"You are what you want others to believe you are, but I'm sure you'll figure it out sooner or later..."_ It had been months since she had said that to him as some sort of advice, but now he wasn't so sure if it was advice to him or for herself.

"Come now, Draco," she said breaking him from his thoughts. "And would you call me Angeline. I don't think they'd believe it so well that we're friends if you use my surname."

"Stop talking to me as though you think I'm some twit, _Angeline_." Draco said. Angeline smirked slightly before she started toward the ballroom.

"Who said I _thought_ you were a twit?" she asked lightly. "I know for a fact you are one." Draco growled as he followed her into the ballroom.

_If she keeps that up she'll make this far more difficult. _

* * *

Only after being in the ballroom for about twenty minutes mingling or so dinner was announced and her parents had quite a sense of humor when it came to the seating arrangements. She was sitting in between Bellatrix Lestrange and Nathaniel Blishwick. On the bright side of this seating arrangement, she sat directly across from Draco her current _best mate for life_. She had to admit (to no one) that she enjoyed having Draco around. And for once she wasn't trying to _figure _him out, she just liked being around him...

_What an odd night..._

While they talked with the other guest Angeline found it less painful with Draco standing there knowing that he didn't want to be there himself. Even if it were for different reasons. And there were times when she let him do all the talking. She did notice that he did a lot of changing of subjects depending on the person he was talking to. The moment it got close to mentioning anything that started with the word _Dark_, he'd smoothly interrupt and change the subject successfully. The little voice in her mind told her not to ignore it, but it's nearly Christmas, she shouldn't be bothered by it.

Angeline ignored the talking around her as she looked at Draco sitting across from her. She studied him for the first time. He was still as pale as he was the night of Slughorn's Christmas party, but was not looking as sick. That voice in the back of her mind was telling her that it was all connected to the same thing...but she ignored it again. It was Christmas she reminded the voice, she reallly shouldn't worry too much about anything.

_Don't think too much about things..._

At that moment he looked up from his plate, his stormy gray eyes meeting her light green ones. He looked annoyed.

_But when is there a moment he isn't?_

"What?" Draco asked her.

"You don't seem to like your sprouts. You've never liked them." Angeline said. Draco frowned at her from across the table.

"Why do you remember that?" He asked.

Angeline didn't answer him because her father had risen to give his middle of dinner speech.

_Nice timing, father..._

"I'd like to welcome everyone," Demetrius began, "I would also hope that everyone is enjoying themselves." There was a collective agreement around the long table. Angeline wondered how many of them were just being polite. She thought the party was sort of boring, but then again she was a little biased. She was forced to attend after all.

"It's great to see that so many of us have made it to see yet another Christmas. That the bloody Order hasn't managed to group us all." There was a cheer and but Angeline looked at the stiff Malfoys across from her. Narcissa and Draco both. "And even with some of our kind in Azkaban it is best we say it is for something, and it should not be seen a weakness to our cause, for we are the winning side of this war." Another cheer of agreement sounded. Angeline looked at Draco again, there was an unusual calmness about him. "In the months following the incident that occurred at the Ministry, in our ranks we have gained new and young recruits. Some even sit in this room." There were more cheers and smug looks, notably coming from Nathaniel and the daughter of the imprisoned Jugson who sat some ways down the table. "And there will no doubt be more to join in the months to come."

Angeline's gaze went to the Malfoys sitting across from her. Narcissa looked absolutely pale, while Draco still looked calm but something swirled in those gray eyes of his. But the soft chuckle to her left made her look at Nathaniel Blishwick. She cursed her parents a second time for putting her next to him. They've known for years of their mutual hatred and simply didn't care. She was sure if her parents had their way she would have to marry Blishwick in the future...She'd _kill_ Blishwick first. Nathaniel threw her a wink before he turned back to her father.

_Not good..._

"Always knew how to make a speech, Mr. Jensen. It was a fine day when the Dark Lord took us young ones so gracefully. Best moment of my life. And I am surely grateful. But sir, you mentioned joining of more members. Do you mean to say that Angeline will be joining us as well?" Nathaniel inquired.

_The nerve to sound so innocent!_

All eyes turned to her. Her right hand immediately balled into a fist. He knew damn well she had no intention of joining _their_ ranks. Though the way she presented herself to everyone else tonight they did not know this. He was trying to test how far she was going to go to fool these people. It was written all over his face.

_Bloody bastard! I wish he broke his neck that time I pushed him down the stairs..._

Her father looked far from happy as he glanced at her. "Angeline is quite capable of telling you herself. Aren't you Angeline?" Her father said looking at her pointedly.

_Lie_. He was telling her. _Lie or there would be dire consequences._

"Of course, father..." Angeline said. It was silent as everyone stared at her.

_The outcome is in your hands, Angeline...What will it be? Lie and say what they all want to hear. Or cause a complete uproar with what you really think of them and their Dark Lord. _

"Angeline, dear, it's rude to keep people waiting," her mother Celeste said. "Answer them, dear." Angeline unclenched her fist and folded her hands in her lap.

_Go with the one that won't get you killed tonight..._

"I'll join soon enough," she answered firmly. "I want to finish my education first," she explained. "Otherwise I see myself as being no significant asset to the Dark Lord and I strive to offer _something_ to the Dark Lord other than my currently mediocre skills." Angeline finished meeting as many eyes as she could.

Many of them seemed satisfied with the answer she had given for their attention went back to her father.

"There you have it, Nathaniel," Demetrius said he also looked satisfied by Angeline's answer, but she knew that he saw right through her. It was more that she managed not to embarrass the family. "Now let us finish our dinner so you may return to your homes or decide to stay and mingle some more," her father sat back down and everyone turned back to their own conversations and the food on their plates.

Angeline could hear Nathaniel mumbling under his breathe, but she ignored what he was saying for she was looking at the Malfoys again. That voice in the back of her head screaming at her to put the pieces together. To stop trying to defend what couldn't be defended.

_He's __**not**__ a Death Eater..._She told the voice. Draco couldn't be...At least not yet. That would be proving so many people right and if there was one thing she did know about him was that he _loved_ to prove people wrong.

But there were so many signs that pointed to him being _one of them_. Mentally she shook her head, there was nothing to be suspicious about. She would drive herself mental.

_Let it go. Just because it's expected doesn't mean it has or will happen.  
_

The voice stopped, but she knew the silence wouldn't last too long._  
_

* * *

When dinner was over and dessert was finished, the guest had made their way back in the ballroom. Well most of the guest. Draco had slipped into the hall and out a side door into the garden. Leaning against the wall he let out the breath he felt he'd been holding since Angeline's father stood up to make his speech. As calm as he looked he was far from it.

Draco closed his eyes as the wind blew around him. His attempts of keeping Angeline from knowing that he himself was Death Eater could have been blown in that one moment. He was grateful that her father had left out names and that no one else had pointed out that he was one of those new young followers. But Draco wasn't too sure of how much Angeline had finally put together. He knew she wasn't stupid, but he knew how naïve she was, and how she believed in some sort of good in him. Draco also knew that he shouldn't care whether or not she knew. In fact it would keep her away from him like he _initially_ wanted...but she tended to treat him like no one else treated him...

She treated him like the sixteen year old wizard he was. She didn't think he was very special and she didn't hate him. That would change if she knew and Draco didn't want that to change. She brought him some sort of normalcy. And he definitely needed that right now.

"I'll bloody set him on fire next time. That's what I'll bloody do." Draco opened his eyes and looked where the voice was coming from. Angeline had come into the garden from another door. She hadn't noticed him yet by the way she continued to grumble under her breath. "Has the nerve to tell me that next time I should avoid insulting guest. Ha!"

"Shouldn't say such things you never know who's listening." Draco said grabbing her attention. Angeline jumped and turned to look at him. "You sound bloody mental, Jensen. Who are you talking about anyway?" He asked once Angeline stood before him.

"Blishwick," she said crossing her arms in front of her. "Stopped me in the hall to explain that he was teaching me a lesson at dinner and how to avoid it the next time." Angeline stopped and looked Draco over a moment. "What are you doing out here?" she asked curiously.

"Thinking," Draco replied looking out onto the dark ground.

"If you want me to leave I will," Angeline said. "I'll tell your mother where she can find you..."

"You can stay, Jensen," Draco said. Draco saw as she relaxed a little and leaned against the wall next to him. They stood there in silence for what seemed like hours. Draco looked over at her and studied her face. She appeared deep in thought as she stared at the sky. From they way she acted he knew she was still oblivious of what 'organization' he belonged to and he liked it that way.

_It needs to stay that way..._He thought as he looked up back onto the grounds.

"Do you believe in a choices?" Her question was so quiet that Draco barely heard her. He looked at her to find her still looking at the sky. "Choosing our own paths and whatnot."

_No._

"I suppose," Draco responded after a moment. "Why?" Angeline shrugged slightly and looked at him.

"Just that we have our lives all set up for us. We're expected to be just like the people that surround us, so we don't really get to choose the path we take. We're far more than blood statuses and the houses or schools we belong to. But those are the things that seem to decide our futures."

"What is it you believe then?"

"I believe the choices are there," she said quietly. "We just have to be willing to search for them and finding the courage to take them. Especially if it defies what's expected."

"What does this have to do with anything?" Draco questioned.

"In reference to dinner tonight is all. And how easy it was to lie to _those_ people." Angeline said. "Besides it was something to talk about."

_Are you testing me?_

There was a small pop and a house-elf stood before them.

"Young Miss Angeline Nula has been sent to inform your friend young mister Malfoy that his mother and his aunt wish to leave now," Angeline nodded once.

"Thank you, Nula." The house-elf bowed and disapparated before anything else could be said to it. Draco pushed himself from the wall and headed to the door. "I guess this means we go back to normal. You can go back to treating me like the scum of the earth." Angeline said. Draco paused at the door leading back inside. There was something in her tone.

"You haven't taken a liking to me have you, Jensen?" Draco questioned looking at her. Angeline turned and met his stare.

"Have you taken a liking to me, Malfoy?" she asked.

_Maybe._

"No."

"Same goes for me," she said lightly.

"What? Far too hard pretending you like me?" Draco asked. Angeline laughed a little.

"You could say that," she said. "You should go. You don't want to keep your mother and aunt waiting..." Draco looked her over once more before he nodded.

"See you when term starts," he said. Angeline returned the nod as Draco opened the door and stepped inside.

"Oh Draco!" she called only moments later. "Happy Christmas."

"Happy Christmas, _Angeline_." She smiled a little.

"Better cut that out by the time we get to school. Your girlfriend will throw a fit otherwise." Angeline said. Draco rolled his eyes and shook his head.

_No use fighting it._

"_Goodbye_," Draco said briskly before turning on his heel and leaving to meet his mother and his aunt in the next room.

It hadn't been the night Draco expected it to be. It was odd to say the least and his head hurt far too much.

_But one thing was good. She still has no clue. Just the way I need it to be for once term starts again._

* * *

**Well that was painful. lol. So much trouble writing this. I started off loving it by the end hating it. I have like ten documented versions of this chapter. Some of which are handwritten... If you hated this chapter completely understandable lol.  
**

**That's enough of my rant.**

**They'll be back at Hogwarts next chapter. Thank goodness for that.  
**

**Review if you haven't already gouged your eyes out. haha.**

**Much love,  
TR**


	8. Chapter 8

**I wanted to get this chapter out sooner, but the last month has been pretty hectic, and I'm sorry to say that it will only get more so as the days/months go on. See I'm starting my first year of college (can I get a round of applause for accomplishment?) and I will be spending a lot of my time focusing on my studies. So who knows when I'll be able to update this. So if I don't update for a really really long time, don't think it's because I've lost interest in this story. I just have other things to worry about.**

**With that said I'd like to thank; **_**annouska, carpe-diem-1299, Javelon, L.A.H.H, vampire-angel1996, TuesdayNovember, missokaycool, Slytherinxprincess, KaiteeLove13, HunterofArtemis1136, **_**and JollyPen**_**,**_** for reviewing the last chapter. And a thanks to everyone that added this story to their alerts or to their favorites. That means a lot to me. And I can never say that enough. **

**Now without further ado, I bid to you, Chapter 8 of Simplicity. Enjoy. :)**

**Disclaimer:** If I owned Harry Potter, I wouldn't be freaking out about how I'm going to pay off the debt I'm about to/have already acquire(d). So naturally anything you recognize I do not own.

* * *

It was late in the afternoon a few days after the New Year when Angeline found herself standing in front of the fireplace in her fathers study. The Ministry had arranged this one-off connection to the Floo Network to return student quickly and safely to the school. Her father sat behind his desk looking over a few of his things while her mother had gone off with a few of her friends. She left without a single glance in Angeline's direction.

"Keep your grades up. I was a highly disappointed in your last marks. Try harder." Demetrius said. Angeline glanced back at him quickly before looking at the emerald flames again.

"Of course, Father," she said tightly. "Do you want me home for Easter?" She asked him.

"Your presence is not needed." he replied. Angeline nodded not sure if he was looking at her or not and not caring either way.

_Farewells around here are so heartbreaking._ Angeline thought sarcastically.

"Well then see you at the end of term," she stepped into the emerald fire and shouted "Hogwarts!" She had one last look at the study and her father's hard face before the flames engulfed her; spinning very fast, she caught blurred glimpses of other rooms, which were whipped out of sight before she could get a proper look; then she was slowing down, finally stopping squarely in the fireplace in Professor Snape's office. He barely glanced up from his work as she tripped over the grate.

_Oh very graceful..._

"Evening, Jensen. Do try not to break anything." He drawled.

"Sorry, Professor." She answered. Flattening her hair she hurried to the door not waiting to see who was following her out of the fireplace. Also she didn't want to spend more time than necessary with her Head of House.

While heading to the Slytherin Dungeons, Angeline thought how Slytherin and Hufflepuff got the raw end of the deal. Both their common rooms being underground. The lack of windows was always a little depressing.

_Think of all the beautiful snow out there..._

"_Falcutas_," she said once she had reached the stretch of wall that would reveal the Slytherin common room. But nothing happened. "Hell..." she said ready to kick the wall. Who changes the password while the students are away for the holiday? "_Dignitas_," she tried a different password. This hadn't work either. Frustrated she did kick the wall.

_Should have asked Snape if the password changed..._

"Wasn't expecting it to!"

"Merlin, Jensen. Can't leave alone for a few moments let alone nearly two weeks can I?" Angeline turned to see Blaise striding up to her, hands in his pockets. "Kicking walls and then talking to yourself. You're going mental."

"I'm doing great. Break was lovely. Thanks for asking. I've missed you too." Angeline mumbled as she turned back to the wall in front of them.

"Rude," Blaise said before turning to the wall. _"absolutum dominium_," the wall began to move to reveal the common room. "New password," Blaise spoke as though speaking to a first year. "You should have asked Snape for the password."

"I've already come to that conclusion funny enough." Angeline said pushing her way past him and into the common room.

"How was the Christmas Eve dinner?" Blaise questioned from behind her. Angeline glanced at him over her shoulder before falling back on her favorite couch.

"Are you really interested?" she asked as he joined.

"Can't say that I am, Jensen, but considering no one else is going to ask you, and I'm the only dare I say friend you have, you might as well tell me how it was." Blaise said. Angeline rolled her eyes.

_To think I missed your company..._

"I'm still breathing so that right there is a sign that it wasn't that bad." Angeline said. Blaise looked amused. "There's not much to say about it."

_Other than Draco and I had some sort of...what would I call it?_

"Are you sure about that?" he questioned.

"Very sure," Angeline said. "Enough about me," Angeline began. She looked around to make sure no one was in earshot. "How was your time in Italy with Jessible?"

"It was enjoyable," he replied after a moment.

"I'm sure it was." Angeline said just as the entrance opened and Draco walked through. He glanced in her direction and sent her a curt nod which she returned before he walked off toward the boys' dorms.

"There's not much to say about that dinner party, huh," Blaise said looking at her. "You liar."

"And that's a hint that I don't want to talk about it." Angeline said.

"Wasn't asking you to, Jensen. I was just pointing out what I see." Blaise said. "You're a liar."

"Slytherin," she said pointing to herself.

"We're capable of telling the truth," Blaise said. "For example, that little excuse of yours isn't always going to work."

"As though I hadn't known that." Angeline mumbled as Blaise shrugged.

"You can be a little on the daft side," Blaise said.

"I missed you why?" she questioned lightly. Blaise smirked but didn't answer as he stood and left her with only a nod in goodbye. "Yeah I don't know either," she muttered to herself.

* * *

The announcement of Apparition Lesson was the only exciting thing that occurred that first day of term. The first day of anything was always one of two things for Angeline, boring or extremely bad. The first day for her had been boring. After her sign up for the Apparition Lessons she felt as though she just floated through the day. Nothing grabbed her attention and nothing bothered her much. And the next thing she knows she's in bed and the next day of classes started.

After barely surviving through Snape's class and barely staying awake in Arithmancy. Angeline enjoyed most of lunch before she was whisked off for Double Potions, which she figured she could survive through.

Angeline sat on her stool between Blaise and Draco, but her main focus was on the three Gryffindors sharing a desk. Hermione moved her cauldron around the table so that she was close to Ernie, and she seemed to be ignoring Harry and Ron.

_Too many problems those three..._

"Settle down, settle down, please! Quickly, now, lots of work to get through this afternoon! Golpalott's Third Law...who can tell me—? But Miss Granger can, of course!"

_Though I don't understand it. She's not the only one who knows it..._Angeline thought as she put her hand down slowly.

"You should know better, Jensen," Draco mumbled just as Hermione began to speak at top speed:

"Golpalott's-Third-Law-states-that-the-antidote-for-a-blended-poison-will-be-equal-to-more-than-the-sum-of-the-antidotes-for-each-of-the-separate-components."

"You'd think she'd die if she didn't answer a question." Blaise commented as he sent the girl an annoyed look.

"Stupid, mudblood," Theodore Nott muttered angrily. Angeline scoffed.

"Can't be too stupid, if she's getting far better marks than you, Theo," Angeline said. Theodore glared at her.

"Jensen's got a point," Draco agreed. Angeline gave Draco an odd look before Slughorn began to speak.

"Precisely!" beamed Slughorn. "Ten points for Gryffindor! Now, if we accept Golpalott's Third Law as true..."

Angeline was going to take Slughorn's word for it that Golpalott's Third Law was true. Just because she knew what the Third Law was didn't mean she understood any of it. And from the look on other people's faces, nobody but Hermione seemed to be following what Slughorn said next either.

"...which means, of course that assuming we have achieved correct identification of the potion's ingredients by Scrapin's Revelaspell—"

Angeline found this the moment to stop listening. Though she knew she would regret it, she couldn't really find it in herself to care much. The theory behind potion-making never made sense to her. Just give her instructions and she'd make the potion...simple as that.

She took the time now to look at how her classmates were holding up with the information now. Ron was sitting beside Harry with his mouth half open, doodling absently on his copy of _Advance Potion-Making. _Harry looked as if he was following but Angeline knew better. Hermione of course was nodding and writing things down. Ernie kept blinking as though that would change the way Slughorn was sounding. Angeline looked at Blaise and he looked as if he smelt something disgusting. Draco looked ready to leave as though it was a waste of his time to be there to begin with. And Theodore was picking at wood on the table. Angeline vaguely wondered how lost she looked as she glanced at the Ravenclaws. They didn't look any better than the rest of the class.

_We're doomed..._

"...and so," finished Slughorn, "I want each of you to come and take one of these phials from my desk. You are to create an antidote for the poison within it before the end of the lesson. Good luck, and don't forget your protective gloves!"

Hermione had left her stool and was halfway toward Slughorn's desk before the rest of the class had realized it was time to move. When Angeline returned to her cauldron she stared in it for a moment before she poured out the contents of her phial and start kindling a fire underneath it.

She watched as steam rose from her cauldron. She had no idea what to do, but she'd just wing it. Pulling out her wand she waved it over her cauldron.

"_Specialis Revelio!_" she muttered. The ingredients that were used in the poison revealed themselves to her. Staring at the things needed to make the poison she had to figure out what ingredients would make this an antidote. "And I have no bloody idea."

"Stop mumbling to yourself, Jensen. It's not going to make this easier." Draco said. "Besides, you sound less intelligent than you already are."

"If you can understand me, it must mean I've dropped down to your level of stupidity." Angeline retorted. Draco glared at her before turning back to his cauldron.

"At least I know what I'm doing."

"You sure about that?" Angeline questioned.

"Yes," he growled. "Now shut up. I need to concentrate."

"Two minutes left, everyone!" Slughorn called. Angeline looked at her cauldron. She had used a few dried herbs but she doubted that changed much of anything. Wasn't much she could do now.

_And the first grade of term? 'T' for troll!  
_

Angeline stared at her work. Her potion looked like something out of the bottom of the Lake. She honestly wouldn't be surprised if it had been from the bottom of the Lake.

"Time's...UP!" called Slughorn genially. "Well, let's see how you've done! Blaise...what have you got for me?"

_Just great...our station first..._

"Ah, very close m'boy," Slughorn commented as he moved on to Angeline's. Which he said nothing about her attempts. He moved down the table and likewise said nothing to her other two housemates.

Slowly, Slughorn moved around the room, examining the various antidotes. Nobody had finished the task, although from where Angeline sat Hermione was very determined to finish it as she tried cramming a few more ingredients into her bottle before Slughorn reached her table.

Slughorn reached the predominately Gryffindor table last. He sniffed Ernie's potion and passed on to Ron's with a grimace. Angeline chuckled a little when Slughorn retched slightly.

"And you, Harry," he said. "What have you got to show me?"

Angeline watched as Harry held out his hand, holding what looked like a dried up kidney...

It was silent in the room as Slughorn stared at the thing in Harry's hand. She was sure maybe he would have shouted at him but he hadn't, Slughorn threw his head back and roared with laughter.

"You've got nerve, boy!" he boomed, taking the object from Harry and holding it up so that the class could see it. "Oh, you're like your mother...Well, I can't fault you...A bezoar would certainly act as an antidote to all these potions!"

_You have __**got**__ to be kidding me!_

Angeline felt the anger wash over her and the sneer appear on her face.

_He does no work and comes up with a bezoar!_

A quick glance showed her she wasn't the only one that was angry in fact the one person that looked as though they may attack was Hermione Granger.

"And you thought of a bezoar all by yourself, did you, Harry?" she asked through gritted teeth.

"That's the individual spirit a real potion-maker needs!" said Slughorn happily, before Harry could reply. "Just like his mother, she had the same intuitive grasp of potion-making, it's undoubtedly from Lily he gets it...Yes, Harry, yes, if you've got a bezoar to hand, of course that would do the trick...although as they don't work on everything, and are pretty rare, it's still worth knowing how to mix antidotes..."

Angeline turned away and looked at her fellow housemates. Blaise looked calm but she could see the nerve jumping in his jaw, the sign he was either angry or frustrated. Then she glanced at Theodore, other than annoyance she wasn't sure what he really thought. But it was Draco that took the cake. If there was one person looking more angry than Hermione Granger it was Draco Malfoy, who, Angeline noticed had spilled something like cat-sick over himself. When Angeline was sure, Draco was going protest how Harry could do nothing wrong, the bell rang.

"Time to pack up!" said Slughorn. "And an extra ten points to Gryffindor for sheer cheek!"

Still chuckling, he waddled back to his desk at the front of the dungeon.

"Thinks he's so smart!" Draco grumbled under is breath as he cleaned up his station. "The Golden Boy!_ The_ _Chosen One_, gets away with everything! He'll get what he deserves soon enough! I _know_ he will. Especially once I'm done with him. He'll lose everything." Angeline stopped in mid-swipe of her wand and glanced at the blonde.

_That's a little too much..._

"Don't say anything," Blaise warned her under his breath. "You'll get the brute force of his temper tantrum."

"I can handle his tantrums, Zabini. I've been dealing with them for eleven years." Angeline replied. "Besides, I wasn't going to say anything." Blaise raised an eyebrow but didn't reply. Angeline continued cleaning and didn't pay any more attention to Draco's ramblings she didn't even turn around when he stormed out the room.

Moments later she grabbed her things and followed Blaire out of the room, wondering whether or not she should be concerned about Draco's mental health.

* * *

Draco had been in the Room of Requirements ever since dinner had ended working on the Vanishing Cabinet in hopes that it would work, because the sooner his mission was complete, the sooner Potter would get what he deserved.

Looking up at the Vanishing Cabinet, he felt nothing but frustration. He had been working on it for hours and he was still no closer to his goal and he could feel the Dark Lord getting restless. It was times like this when the Dark Mark burned his left forearm that he wished he hadn't joined—

_Stop it!_ He yelled at himself. Sighing he backed away from the Cabinet. He was growing tired, he had classes in the morning, he'd just have to come back to work on it tomorrow.

Walking the dark halls of Hogwarts wasn't easy, he narrowly escaped that stupid cat, Mrs. Norris when he'd got to the third floor. And he barely got down the stairs to the dungeon when he heard voices heading toward him.

Now safely in the dungeons all he wanted to do was walk into the empty common room and head straight to his dorm where he could fall on his bed and fail to sleep.

But the common room wasn't empty. Why had he expect it to be? Sitting at one of the study tables flipping through a book and writing on parchment here and there was Angeline.

_She's everywhere...Does she ever sleep?  
_

She hadn't noticed him come in and he could have easily headed into the dorms without her ever noticing him, but he found himself heading toward her and before long sitting across from her.

"Why are you always out here?" he asked. There was no pause in her writing or a glance in his direction. It was as though she hadn't heard him, and if she had she was ignoring him.

"Well tonight, I'm finishing my Charms assignment," she replied finally. "Eight feet on how a spell can do as much harm as it can good." She placed her quill into her ink well before looking up. She sat back and crossed her arms over her chest studying him. "I'd ask you why you're always sneaking in late, but you'd just tell me it's none of my business."

_I couldn't tell you even if I wanted to...And I definitely don't want to. _

"You wouldn't find it very interesting," he supplied instead. Angeline raised an eyebrow at him.

"Probably wouldn't," she paused and looked at him seriously. "Well that is unless you were plotting someone's death." She said before laughing a little. Draco felt his blood freeze in his veins and a lump rise to his throat. Plotting someone's death was exactly what he was doing. Angeline stopped laughing and nudge him with her foot under the table, snapping him out of his miniature panic attack. "Oi, it was a joke, Malfoy." Draco looked at her. She was leaning forward in her chair, looking at him with concern.

_I wish she'd stop._

"Well it's not bloody funny," Draco snapped. Angeline sat back frowning at him.

"I'm sorry," she said picking up her quill and going back to her assignment. It was his turn to lean forward and rest his elbows on the table. He should be saying sorry but he was Draco Malfoy...and Draco Malfoy didn't say he was sorry for _anything_.

"Listen its just that laughing at your own jokes make you seem a little conceited," he said lightly. He even added a smirk on for effect. It wasn't an apology but it was the best anyone was ever going get from him.

"You're teasing me," she said resting her elbows on the table. She let out a small laugh. "What's going on here, Malfoy?" she asked.

"What are you talking about, Jensen?" Draco questioned.

"Everything," she said. "One moment you're wanting to snap my head off, treating me like I'm the most infuriating thing in the world. The next you're teasing me or talking to me in a way that suggest that we've gotten along perfectly for years." Angeline elaborated. "And I'm not counting the dinner party either. I'm talking about moments like this. When we're alone in the common room or that one time in that classroom. Which is probably my favorite of all those times." There was a hint of sarcasm in her last statement.

Draco stared at her in thought. What was he suppose to say? _"As much as I can't stand you. I actually like talking to you."_

Yes, that would definitely explain why he was dare he say **nice** to her. But what about the first one. Well that was easy; _"That's because you are the most infuriating thing in the world."_

Yet he couldn't find himself to say either of them.

_Bloody hell is wrong with you, Malfoy?_

"Things are complicated, Jensen," he said finally. "Seeing Mother over the Holidays just made that even more relevant. So you can stop complaining about my treatment of you. Be grateful I haven't hexed you because I was bored like I used to."

"I wasn't complaining. I was only asking because you've been acting strange all year." she said.

Draco vaguely wondered what his face looked like to her.

"Why are you watching me?" he asked.

"Observing is more like it," she said looking away from him. "You know during Potions today you were pretty angry about, Potter and the whole bezoar thing." she said. "You were mumbling some things that—"

"—People tend to say things when they're angry," Draco interrupted. "Besides don't say you weren't a little angry by what happened in class."

"I won't lie and say I wasn't because I was. It was just that—" she stopped and looked at him again. "Actually it's none of my business."

"Finally catching on to what I've been trying to tell you?" Draco questioned.

"Not exactly," she said. "Something is bothering you, but it'll go away. And I don't need to know what it is to know that."

_It won't just go away. I'm not going to wake up one morning and not have the Dark Mark. It's not all going to just disappear. _

"Who said something was bothering me?"

"It's like the whole world is on your shoulders, Draco," she explained. "And there isn't a single thing or person that can help you."

_Because there isn't._

"And it goes beyond your family's personal problems, so don't say it has to do with your father. This situation is entirely on you." she finished.

_If you only knew how right you were. _

"What does it matter to you?" he asked. It was moments like this when he didn't like talking to her.

_Should have gone to bed._ He berated himself.

"It doesn't," she said. "I'm just saying that whatever it is will work out. Don't let it rule you. You came in here looking as if you'd lost your best mate." Angeline had started cleaning her things up as she told him this. "You're Draco _bloody_ Malfoy. Find alternatives to get what you want. Even find an alternative to your alternative. We were both raised to do so."

"What are you going on about, Jensen?" Draco said once it seemed she wasn't going to say anymore. Angeline shook her head slightly as she checked the time.

"It's nearly three. You really think I know what I'm talking about?" she questioned standing and gathered her things in her arms. "Some times the best advice is the one you get at late hours from someone you don't like."

"I didn't ask for your advice." Draco pointed out.

"True," Angeline shrugged. "but you're a Malfoy. Malfoy's don't ask for advice. I'm a Jensen, I give advice to people who don't want it." she tilted her head to the side as she rocked from her heels and toes. "Well, good night. I suggest you go get some sleep yourself." With one last rock she turned and headed toward the dorms.

Draco watched her go before he sat back in his chair thinking about everything she had just said to him. Though she had been wrong on some points of what she was saying she was right about many others. She had been right about saying he had a lot of weight on his shoulders and that there was no one that could help him. She was wrong about it all just going away eventually. This was his life, it wouldn't just get better because he wanted it to. But she was definitely right about one thing, he was Draco _bloody_ Malfoy. And if there was one thing he had learned in those _exclusive _pureblood _etiquette _lessons, it was that to always have a back up plan to a back up plan and so on.

If he couldn't get the Vanishing Cabinet to work, he'd just have to come up with another plan, one better than the cursed necklace. What exactly that plan would be, he hadn't the slightest idea. But as he stood up and headed toward the boys dormitories, he felt a boost of confidence, as though it would all work out after all. He'd finish his mission and he'd be the Dark Lord's favorite. He'd redeem his family. And best of all, he'd be the one to take away Potter's biggest supporter. Dumbledore.

And he had Angeline Jensen to thank for making him feel like that whether she knew it or not.

But he'd never say thank you. Because like she so cleverly pointed out...He was a Malfoy.

* * *

**This chapter was pretty short compared to the others, but I hope you liked it still. Just to repeat what I said in the beginning of the chapter, I'm going to busy so I'm sorry if I don't update in the next few months. I love you all though. Thanks for everything!**

**So to keep me from losing my mind, drop me a review. I know you want to! ^_^**

**Much love,**  
**TR**

**PS. If you really want to know what I'm up to you can follow me on twitter. I'll try to keep you as up to date as I can with this story and life happenings! :) Again thanks for reading and hopefully reviewing! =)**

**Translations of Passwords:  
**

_Absolutum dominium_-absolute dominion

_Falcutas_-power, means, opportunity, capacity, ability, stock

_Dignitas_-merit, worth, prestige, dignity


	9. Chapter 9

**How's it going? College...well like most things it has its ups and its downs. But you know, I'm getting through it.  
**

**A thanks to;** _**TuesdayNovember, vampire-angel1996, L.A.H.H, missokaycool, Eooiiee, **_**and **_**LuvTaylor01 **_

**And thank you to everyone that added this story to their favorites or their alerts. The continued support makes me smile and gets me through the day. Truly it does. :)**

**Oh and there's a message at the end, it's rather long sorry about that! But you should read it. :)  
**

**Now move along loves, because here's Chapter 9 **

**Disclaimer:** I don't own the Harry Potter universe. If did, I definitely would have written a Prequel, featuring everyone's favorite Marauders. (That's a hint, Rowling). XD

* * *

The snow melted around the school as February arrived, to be replaced by cold, dreary wetness. Purplish-gray clouds hung low over the castle and a constant fall of chilly rain made the lawns slippery and muddy. The upshot of this was that the sixth years' first Apparition lesson, which was scheduled for a Saturday morning so that no normal lessons could be missed, took place in the Great Hall instead of in the grounds.

When Angeline arrived in the Hall trying to stifle a yawn, she found that the tables had disappeared.

"You'll Splinch yourself if you're tired." Blaise said from her right.

"Thanks for the concern," Angeline replied dryly. "I'll be fine."

"Famous last words."

"Oh, shut up, Zabini." Angeline said as they continued into the Hall. Rain lashed against the high windows and the enchanted ceiling swirled darkly above them as they assembled in front of Professors McGonagall, Snape, Flitwick, and Sprout—the Heads of Houses—and a small wizard whom Angeline knew to be the Apparition instructor from the Ministry.

He was oddly colorless, with transparent eyelashes, wispy hair, and an insubstantial air, as though a single gust of wind might blow him away.

"Good morning," said the Ministry wizard, when all the students had arrived and the Heads of Houses had called for quiet. But Angeline could hear Draco's voice even after the call of quiet. He sounded angry and annoyed. The typical Draco Malfoy in her opinion. "My name is Wilkie Twycross and I shall be your Ministry Apparition instructor for the next twelve weeks. I hope to be able to prepare you for you Apparition Tests in this time—"

"Malfoy, be quiet and pay attention!" barked Professor McGonagall.

Everyone looked around. Draco had flushed a dull pink; he looked furious as he stepped away from Crabbe, with whom he appeared to have been having a whispered argument. Angeline looked to the front at Snape, who looked annoyed though Angeline suspected it had less to do with Draco's rudeness than the fact that McGonagall had reprimanded one of his House.

"—by which time, many of you may be ready to take your tests," Twycross continued as though there had been no interruption.

"As you may know, it is usually impossible to Apparate or Disapparate within Hogwarts. The headmaster has lifted this enchantment, purely within the Great Hall, for one hour, so as to able you to practice. May I emphasize that you will not be able to Apparate outside the walls of this Hall, and that you would be unwise to try.

"I would like each of you to place yourselves now so that you have a clear five feet space in front of you."

There was a great scrambling and jostling as people separated banged into each other, and ordered others out of their space. The Heads of Houses moved among the students, marshaling them into position and breaking up arguments.

"Oi," Angeline exclaimed when Harry Potter stopped directly in front of her and curiously directly behind Draco. "Watch what your doing, Potter," she said.

"Sorry about that," Harry said without looking at her. Angeline rolled her eyes.

_Annoying little git..._

Taking a few steps back in order to have five feet between her and him she looked over her shoulder to see Pansy behind her.

_As if this couldn't get any better._

Instead of acknowledging the fact that Pansy stood in sabotage distance she focused her attention on Harry and Draco as Draco argued with a very mutinous looking Crabbe.

"I don't know how much longer, all right?" Draco shot at him. "It's taking longer than I thought it would."

_What was taking longer than he thought it would?_

Crabbe opened his mouth, but Draco appeared to second-guess what he was going to say. "Look, it's none of your business what I'm doing, Crabbe, you and Goyle just do as you're told and keep a lookout!"

_Merlin's beard...What are you up to?_

"I tell my friends what I'm up to, if I want them to keep a lookout for me," Harry said so that Draco could hear him.

Draco spun around on the spot, his hand flying for his wand, but at that precise moment the four Heads of House shouted, "Quiet!" and silence fell again. Draco turned slowly to face the front again.

"Thank you," said Twycross. "Now then..."

He waved his wand. Old-fashioned wooden hoops instantly appeared in front of every student.

"The important things to remember when Apparating are the three D's!" said Twycross. "Destination, Determination, Deliberation!

"Step one: Fix your mind firmly upon the desired _destination_," said Twycross. "In this case, the interior of your hoop. Kindly concentration upon that destination now."

Everybody looked around furtively to check that everyone else was staring into their hoop, then hastily did as they were told. Angeline gazed at the circular patch of dusty floor enclosed by her hoop.

_Think of that hoop and not about what Draco's up to. Store that for later and think about that bloody hoop._

"Step two," said Twycross, "focus your _determination_ to occupy the visualized space! Let your yearning to enter it flood your mind to every particle of your body!"

Angeline rolled her eyes at his description, but did as she was instructed. She definitely didn't want to be Splinched.

"Step three," called Twycross, "and only when I give the command...Turn on the spot, feeling your way into nothingness moving with _deliberation_! On my command now...one—"

_What? Already? So soon! _

"—two—"

_Calm down, Angeline._ She took a deep breath and let it out slowly. _Destination. Inside that hoop._ _Determination._ _I want to be in that hoop. Me. My entire self. I will be standing in that hoop. Deliberation. Move without haste!_

"—THREE!"

Angeline spun on the spot, lost balance, but to her surprise managed to stay standing. Angeline wasn't the only one that staggered. The whole Hall was suddenly full of staggering people; Neville Longbottom was flat on his back; Ernie Macmillan, on the other hand, had done a kind of pirouetting leap into his hoop and looked momentarily, thrilled, until he caught sight of Dean Thomas roaring with laughter at him.

Angeline had to admit it was sort of funny.

"Never mind, never mind," said Twycross dryly, who did not seem to have expected anything better. "Adjust your hoops, please, and back to your original positions..."

The second attempt was no better than the first. The third was just as bad. Not until the forth did anything exciting happen. There was a horrible screech of pain and everybody looked around, terrified, to see Susan Bones of Hufflepuff wobbling in her hoop with her left leg still standing five feet away where she had started.

_Bloody hell! That's disgusting..._

The Heads of House converged on her; there was a great bang and a puff of purple smoke, which cleared to reveal Susan sobbing, reunited with her leg but looking horrified.

"Splinching, or the separation of random body parts," said Twycross dispassionately, "occurs when the mind is insufficiently _determined_. You must concentrate continuously upon your _destination_, and move, without haste, but with _deliberation_...thus."

Twycross stepped forward, turned gracefully on the spot with his arms outstretched, and vanished in a swirl of robes, reappearing at the back of the Hall.

_Show off. _

"Remember the three D's," he said, "and try again...one—two—three—"

But an hour later, Susan's Splinching was still the most interesting thing that had happened. Twycross did not seem discouraged. Fastening his cloak at his neck, he merely said, "Until next Saturday, everybody, and do not forget: _Destination_. _Determination_. _Deliberation_."

With that, he waved his wand, Vanishing the hoops, and walked out of the Hall accompanied by Professor McGonagall. Talk broke out at once as people began moving toward the entrance hall.

"How did you do?" asked Blaise, once Angeline had fell back on the couch beside him. "I was only a little dizzy," Angeline shrugged as Crabbe, Goyle, Draco, and Pansy joined them.

"I did fine I guess, felt nauseous a few times," she said.

"Oh I felt nauseous too. It must have been your overwhelming odor I kept smelling." Pansy said from her place beside Draco.

"That wasn't me you were smelling, Parkinson, that was upper lip." Angeline said allowing a smirk to grow on her face. Pansy glared at her as she opened her mouth to retort.

"Don't start," Draco said though he sounded distracted. Angeline glanced at him and his attention wasn't on either her or Pansy but on the fireplace.

"All right there, Malfoy?" she asked.

"I'm fine," Draco replied looking at her a little longer than she thought he should have. "I'm going for a walk," he added though it was directed at Crabbe and Goyle. Both of which frowned but stood up to follow him out of the common room.

"Not going, Parkinson?" Blaise asked as the girl in question stared at the place Draco once had been.

"He doesn't want me around," Pansy said absently. "He's always telling me to go away." Angeline scoffed. "Do you have something to say, Jensen?" Pansy snapped.

"Not really," Angeline replied calmly. "But I think perhaps if you didn't cling to him he might not push you away, but then again..."

"Shut up," Pansy growled. "What would you know about relationships let alone what Draco and I have? You're jealous, you'll never be as good as me." she spat. "And you'll never have him."

"I don't want him, Parkinson." Angeline retorted. Pansy scoffed this time. "I was only giving you my advice. No need to get so offensive."

"Do you think I'm stupid, Jensen?"

"Do you_ really _want me to answer that?" Pansy's eyes narrowed before she stalked off into the girls' dormitories.

Angeline turned and looked at Blaise he was giving her a look that she couldn't read to save her life.

"Why are you looking at me like that?" she inquired.

"Just thinking," Blaise began. "There's something different about things."

"Specify, Zabini" Angeline said running her hand through her hair.

"You and Malfoy," Blaise said. "There's something odd there with both of you." Angeline had a wave a dread wash over her.

"You're seeing things that don't exist." she said. "I mean we get along better than we did if that's what you're saying."

"Well then, take some advice, Jensen," Blaise said. "Don't trust him. Be a little suspicious about everything, especially when it comes to each other."

"Still on the whole, Draco Malfoy's no good thing?" Angeline allowed the annoyance to show in her question. Blaise shrugged. "Give it a rest, Zabini."

"Just remember, I have no problem saying, 'I told you so', in the end." he said. "And believe me I feel like I'll be saying it more than once."

"Five galleons says you're wrong." Angeline said automatically. Angeline was not a betting person, but hell, what's the worse that could happen?

_Zabini would be right.  
_

"Twenty says I'm right," Blaise said just as quick. Angeline threw him a look. Which he returned with a smug grin.

"Fine then, twenty galleons it is."

_OK the worse that could happen is that I lose twenty galleons, because Zabini would be right._

The two sixteen year old witch and wizard shook hands on their bet.

_But that's not going to happen. I'm going to gain twenty galleons because Zabini's wrong. That's a guarantee.  
_

* * *

That night about an hour before curfew, Angeline found herself walking down various corridors of the school without a known destination. She had been feeling restless, and she had grown tired of listening to people complain about this or that. So she here she was now on the sixth floor not too far from the boys' bathroom when she saw sitting in one of the windowsills staring out into the darkness, Draco Malfoy.

_Has he been here all this time?_

He hadn't heard her approaching nor did he seem to see her reflection within the window itself. Angeline coughed as she stuck her left hand into her pocket.

"Knut for your thoughts?" she asked as she pulled the bronze coin from her pocket. Draco jumped slightly as he turned his head to look at her. Angeline couldn't help but to notice how unkempt he looked. Which was starting to be a normal thing about him, but still left her in wonder.

"A knut doesn't buy much. Especially my thoughts." he sneered in response. Angeline couldn't help but smile slightly.

_Somethings don't change._

"Well then," she said as she tossed the coin a few times. "I suppose you're right, with our upbringing and all. Would a galleon or two suffice?" She asked almost curiously.

"Don't you understand that I don't want you around right now?" Draco questioned her. Angeline truly smiled this time.

"Are we admitting that you like having me around part of the time?" Draco narrowed his eyes slightly before he turned his gaze back to the dark window. Though she knew she wasn't wanted, it didn't stop her from pulling herself up onto the windowsill next to him where she continued to play with the knut in her hand. Draco's gray eyes met her green ones in an instant. "What do you think you're doing?"

"Sitting and minding my own business," she replied. Draco's face did some sort of weird twitch. Angeline wondered if she should be worried about it.

"Bloody infuriating girl," he mumbled under his breathe before he returned to his gazing to the dark outside world.

Both of them sat in silence, Angeline playing with her coin and swinging her legs back and forward as Draco sat stiff staring out the window. Angeline stopped playing with the coin and opened her mouth to apologize for being such a nuisance and to end the silence, but apparently she wasn't the only one that found the silence nerve wracking.

"It's just really hard," Draco muttered. Angeline looked at him just to see he wasn't looking at her but still out the window.

"What is?" she asked him slowly. He looked torn and worn down. Something no Malfoy would ever want to look. Even on their worst days. Draco turned his gaze to her. Was it possible that it appeared that, _the_ Draco Malfoy wanted to cry?

_No, it's dark. I'm surely seeing things._

"It doesn't matter what it is. There's nothing you can say or do that..." he trailed off with the sound of a very familiar meow. It was past curfew and it was only a matter of time before Filch showed up.

_I can not get detention!_

"Come on," Angeline said jumping down from the windowsill and grabbing Draco's hand as she did so.

* * *

Draco allowed himself to be dragged down corridor after corridor, stair after stair, by Angeline only because he knew he wouldn't have gotten up from the windowsill himself. He simply didn't give a damn whether or not Filch caught him or not. He just didn't care about much of anything anymore.

The only thing running through his mind was that, though the Vanishing Cabinet wasn't working...he did set another plan up only with the unknown motivation by Angeline. A poisoned bottle of mead. That would and if all worked out would make its way to Dumbledore if he could not get the Cabinet to work. And when that time came his task would be complete and he would have gained the honor his family had loss.

_Do you really believe that?_ The little voice in the back of his mind questioned.

_I need a distraction...And she is it..._ Draco shook his head once and then twice as Angeline began to slow down and ducked into one of many empty classrooms. He wasn't sure what floor they were on, or in what abandoned classroom they were in. All he knew was that for the second time in his life he was alone with Angeline Jensen in an empty classroom. Holding her hand nevertheless as they both leaned against the now closed door.

Draco immediately let go her hand and moved away from her and the door. He watched her as she stood panting slightly, listening to what was on the other side of the door. Turning his back to her he looked around the classroom she had flung them into. The windows were as large as the ones in the Potions classroom, and let in quite a lot of moonlight. Moving more around the room he noticed it was indeed an abandoned classroom. Dust was all over the place except for the table in front of the very last window in the back of the room. It was void of the heavy dust the rest of the room had.

"I come here when I can't go anywhere else and I just need to think about other things." Angeline's voice came directly from his left. He hadn't heard her move from the door. Draco looked down at her as she stared at the table and absently played with the knut in her hand. "It's not that far from the common room. Aren't terribly tired from that run are you?"

"Do I look tired to you?" he asked. Angeline glance sideways at him.

"You look like a lot of things." she responded. Draco didn't ask her to elaborate he knew she was right and he didn't need to hear her say all his problems out loud it would only make him feel worse. Draco moved away and sat on the bench at the clean desk.

"Why didn't you just take us back to the common room?" He questioned lightly.

"It's relatively early still. Just think of the rumors that would fly if we ran in there together, let alone hand-in-hand." Angeline replied as she sat on the desk in front of him. "_Did you hear, Malfoy and Jensen are shagging?_" she rolled her eyes.

"Starting the next generation of Death Eaters." Draco added nonchalantly. Angeline chuckled and even he couldn't help but smirk ever so slightly.

"Wouldn't forgive myself if that were true," she said with a little sigh.

"About which part?" he asked.

"Starting a new generation of Death Eaters." Her response was automatic. "When I have children...They'll be raised different. They won't have to deal with what _our kind_ put us through. I want their lives to be what ours never was."Draco stayed quiet as he listened to the bitterness in her tone. Saw the fear flash in her eyes of pain she never expressed. _What was she afraid of?_ "I just..." she stopped and looked at her hands. "Catch." she said flipping the coin in his direction. Draco caught it and stared at the knut for a moment.

"I'm not sharing my thoughts with you, Jensen," Draco said. Angeline nodded.

"I know that," she said. "I'm not going to force you to talk to me about anything. You sort of just _do it_. Are you aware of that?"

_No_

"Yes."_  
_

"Well, I just thought you could hang on to it...if you ever wanted to talk. Just give it to me and I'd know. Not exactly what_ Knut for you thoughts_ is supposed to work, but it sort of works, right?"

"Don't expect me to use this, Jensen," Draco said. "I'm not some needy person," he added.

_Yes you are._

"Never said you were. But we all need to vent right?" she asked with a small smile. "And think of it this way. I'm not Crabbe or Goyle so you can very well use big words and I'd understand them. And I'm not Parkinson so I won't try to snog you to _'make you feel better'_." Angeline said.

"But you wouldn't be against it," Draco inquired coolly. Angeline's eyes narrowed as her cheeks turned a shade of pink.

"Are you suggesting you yourself aren't?"

"I don't kiss blood traitors." He replied. Angeline laughed as she jumped down from the table.

"Well then, good, I don't kiss blood purist." She stated. Draco smirked slightly at her comment. "I suppose it's late enough for us to sneak back into the common room. Shall we?" she asked. Draco stood from the bench he was sitting on. He ran a hand through his hair and walked past her to the door. He opened it and allowed her to walked through it first and followed her back to the common room.

In the few minutes of just sitting and talking, Draco was able to forget about what had nearly brought him to his lowest point while working on the Vanishing Cabinet. He was now somewhat good spirits and he needed that to last for the time being, because far too soon he knew he would need to go back in the Room of Requirements. And who knew if it would work in a day let alone a month from now. Looking at down at the knut in his hand.

_"If you ever wanted to talk..."_

Draco told himself he wouldn't ever need to use that coin. But there was still that little part of him that knew he would and he listened to it as he stuffed it into his pocket, because there was that part of him that truly liked having Angeline around and in a way needed her around. If only to keep his mind off of everything wrong with him and his life. Angeline looked back at him and smiled. Draco vaguely wondered if she liked having him around and needed to have him around and that was why she put up with him and never seemed to judge him.

_What are you thinking, Draco..._

* * *

**It's funny, I took a look at my chapter outline for this story the other day and this story has about 5-6 chapters left. Ah! I literally flipped out. That's the upsetting news. The good news is that, I will have a sequel, and I've always planned on having a sequel. It's going to be seventh year and how these two lovely characters get through the war and how they change throughout it. It will start with the summer leading up to the return to Hogwarts. You'll see how they both cope with what's become of their world. And best of all how they cope with one another. **

**May seem early to give this away, but it's because I need your help dear readers. What kind of help? Well, I'm going to be needing a title. And I want you all to help. I have come up with a title, _Complexity_ but...I don't know...It seems too...obvious. So let me know what you want the sequel to be titled, and a reason why it should be titled such. I'll pick the top three and have people vote. But I'll do something special for each person that participates like a one-shot or something. (I know I'm nuts.) To help, I'll explain why I titled this story _Simplicity_. **

**I titled this story _Simplicity_ for three reasons, the first reason was because I like to think that Draco believes everything he does and everything in life is simple. The second reason is because of my character Angeline and how she herself sees the world and the people in it. She's quick write people off, because there's not much to them. They're simple and easy to get. Until Draco unintentionally makes her take a second glance. The last reason that ties it all together, is that I wanted it to show that nothing is simple and that if you go around thinking that you're going to end up way over your head...Kind of like Angeline and Draco when you think about it. **

**Anyway I'm done with that rant! Hope you participate! And I hope you liked the chapter!  
**

**Good luck!**

**Thanks for reading! And hopefully reviewing!**

**Much Love,  
TR**


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter 10 is here as promised, hope I didn't take too long. :) I hope you all enjoy it!**

**Thanks to; _ValueMyHeart, L.A.H.H, vampire-angel1996, TuesdayNovember, xXxCastielxXx, carpe-diem-1299_ and _xXMiss Alec VolturiXx_ for reviewing! You have no idea how much your written support makes me smile! :)**

**And to my Anonymous reviewer, I'm sorry I've gotten you addicted to my story...Though at the same time, how can I be sorry it means I've done something right. :) Thanks for reading and reviewing. It really means a lot.  
**

**And a thank you to everyone that added this story to their alerts or favorites. ^.^  
**

**Disclaimer:** What JK Rowling gave us was a gift and an experience. Harry Potter is something I can only dream of owning. Thank you JK Rowling for making my childhood one epic adventure.

* * *

Draco kicked at the Vanishing Cabinet in front of him as though, kicking it would have made something _magical_ happen. No such luck however. It had been weeks, February was turning into March far too quickly and he was still no closer to getting the Vanishing Cabinet to work. Despite all his effort and determination, he was still failing. He was even failing when it came to controlling Crabbe and Goyle. Though they still stood guard for him grudgingly, they nevertheless did it. But for how long he would wonder.

His other plan, the poisoned bottle of mead had been sent out and he hoped with all his might that, Dumbledore would get it.

_But what are the odd it would get to him?_ The small voice whispered to him.

"It'll get to him," Draco mumbled.

_Say that it does, then what are the odds that a man like Dumbledore would fall for such a thing as poisoned mead?_ The voice was louder now. Draco could feel his teeth grinding together as he pushed the voice away, though logical it may have been...it didn't advance him or his goals, and that was all he wanted...needed.

Growling he moved away from the Cabinet, it was late as it was. He couldn't stay there any longer. The more he stared at the Cabinet the more his chest would tighten and the less he could breath as the fear of failing closed in on him. Deciding then, he would come back early morning before Apparation class.

Stepping out into the deserted corridor he came to stand before, Crabbe and Goyle no longer in there disguises, but looking much like themselves.

"Haven't I told you two to leave or take more of the potion if it wore off while I was still in there," Draco commented as he began to lead them down the hall.

"We're tired of doing what you say," Crabbe blurted out. "Unless you tell us what you're doing in that-that Come-and-Go room." Goyle nodded in agreement.

"And I've told you both that, I cannot tell you what I'm doing." Draco replied annoyed. He missed the days when those two did what he said without question.

_Who knew boulders had freewill._

"You told, Pansy," Goyle said when Crabbe apparently had nothing more to say on the subject.

"Wrong. I told her who I was working for, not what I working on. The same as you." Draco explained.

"I've bet you told, Jensen," Crabbe added. "You talk to her enough." Draco nearly stopped when Crabbe said this, but kept his composure and kept going.

"And if I had told her do you two idiots really think she would still be talking to me?" Draco asked as they reached the common room entrance. Neither Crabbe nor Goyle said a thing. "Exactly, so why not stop pestering me about it. It'll all pay off in the end. Understand?"

"Yes," they both grumbled in response. Draco smirked slightly as he turned and looked at them both.

"It'll all pay off in the end," Draco said. Turning on his heel he faced the entrance to the Slytherin Common Room. "_Falcutas._" The wall disappeared and all three boys entered the common room. Two of the three anger, and one mentally screaming.

_Is it all really worth it?_

_

* * *

_

It was midday on the second of March when Angeline found herself grinding her teeth in irritation. News had gone around that one, Ronald Weasley had been poisoned the day before (which is quite slow for Hogwarts gossip). The news hadn't been as exciting as Katie Bell's incident many claimed, but it was enough to have a few Slytherins in laughter. And that's what made her so irritated.

Her housemates were vile. To laugh at someone getting poisoned was sick. What did it matter if he was a Weasley or that he was a Gryffindor? Or that he was as oblivious as they come. He was still human.

"Heard it was Slughorn that gave him the poison." Theodore Nott's voice pulled her out of her thoughts. "Probably to punish him for that atrocious potion he put together a week ago that left the entire room smelling of dead fish." Angeline cringed as a good portion of the common room burst into laughter.

"Then what's your excuse?" She asked firmly, the common quieted as she spoke.

"Don't start, Jensen," Blaise mumbled without looking up from his book. Angeline ignored him.

"You're barely a mark above Weasley," she continued. "Was it not you that melted an entire cauldron and half a work station just this week?" Nott's glared at her from where he sat. Angeline met it steadily.

"Got something for Weasley now?" Nott questioned.

"Not at all. He was poisoned, he didn't get hit with a jinx. He could have actually died." Angeline said. "Does it not bother you that you're laughing? He's bloody human."

"A blood traitor is what he is, Jensen," Pansy spoke up. "So close to getting rid of at least one today." Pansy added with a look that made Angeline want to stand up and punch her in her ugly face.

"You're disgusting," Angeline said turning away from them. As though Angeline had never said anything, the group continued their discussion on Ron Weasley's poisoning. "Am I wrong?" Angeline asked Blaise quietly. Blaise regarded her briefly before looking back at his book without saying a word. "Some _friend_ you are. Can I even call you that?" Blaise smirked as he turned a page in his book and continued ignoring her.

"Where's Draco?" Pansy questioned anyone listening. "Surely he has a thing or two to say about this. Has anyone seen him?"

"Yeah, Jensen, seen him?" Blaise asked looking up from his book. Angeline glared at him.

"Not since breakfast." Angeline replied. In the last month it was rare that she saw Draco, excluding meals and classes. Even during her late night exploration of the castle she didn't run into him. Only a pair of girls either second or third year, always on the seventh floor, in the same place each time, opposite the tapestry depicting the attempt of Barnabas the Barmy trying to teach trolls ballet.

_What strange girls...They sort of stood like boys. Big heavy boys..._

"He's never around any more," Pansy remarked quietly. "He'd probably agree that, Weasley had it coming."

Annoyed with her housemates and the common room in general Angeline stood from where she sat and headed toward the exit.

"Where are you going, Jensen?" Nott asked.

"None of your business." Angeline answered without looking back at any of them.

In truth, Angeline didn't know where she was going, but she knew she needed to get out of that common room. And the further away she was from the stuffiness of the dungeons the better.

_Why was I put in that bloody house?_

The Hat had told her upon her sorting that she'd thank him later. Angeline scoffed as she stepped out into the surprisingly bright Courtyard. Though the air was still cold, the sun was enough to make up for it. And the fresh air was exactly what she needed.

There weren't many students out, most were too nosy trying to find out more information about what happened to Ron Weasley. If it showed Angeline anything, it was that Hogwarts wasn't very safe. But then again, in her years there had the school ever really been safe?

_I guess not. When you've got Harry Potter running around.  
_

As she got closer and closer to the Black Lake she could see the figure of someone laying under the very tree she was heading for. But it was the blond head that really kept her feet moving. Coming to stand above, Draco Malfoy, she stared down at him with her arms crossed.

"Go away, Jensen," Draco groaned without opening a single eye.

"How did you know it was me?" Angeline asked as a frown made its way on her face.

"It's always you. When I think I'm alone. You have a way of showing up." Draco's voice sounded thick with emotion she noted. Something very un-Malfoy-like. "_Always._" He added for emphasize. Angeline continued to stare at his closed eyelids before she sighed and dropped to the ground beside him and fixed her stare on the tree. "And like always you _don't_ listen." he mumbled.

"I came out here to get away from our housemates and that common room." Angeline defended as she crossed her legs in a more comfortable position. "I was almost here when I saw you, and I refused to turn myself around to find another area to occupy. Just so you can obviously wallow in self-pity."

"Wallow in self-pity?" Draco questioned with a short laugh. "You don't know the half of it." he added bitterly. Angeline's eyes flicked to his face for a moment before she looked back at the tree.

"Weasley's been—"

"Poisoned," Draco finished for her. "I know. A bottle of poisoned mead in Slughorn's room. I've heard already. And naturally Potter saved his life."

"It was a bottle of poisoned mead? Where did you hear that?" Angeline asked looking at his face fully now. No one had said how Ron Weasley had been poisoned, just that it happened. Draco seemed to tense at the question, before he turned his head and opened his eyes to look at her. They looked red as though he'd been rubbing them or he'd been crying...

_That's ridiculous._

"Does it really matter where I heard it? Who knows how, Weasley was really poisoned. It happened and that's all that matters." Angeline nodded.

"You're right." She said pulling her legs up to her chest as the wind blew a little stronger.

Draco sighed after a few minutes of silence and sat up bringing him eye level with Angeline. Absently she reached over and plucked a shred of grass from his hair. Realizing what she did, it struck her odd that he hadn't swatted her hand away or moved out of her reach.

"Well then," Angeline began uneasily as she tightened her grip around her legs.

"I'm going inside," Draco said as he stood up. "Don't follow me, Jensen. I mean it."

Angeline watched Draco walk back up the hill toward the castle until she couldn't see him anymore. With a small stretch and a yawn she laid back on grass and stared up at the blue sky.

_"Don't follow me, Jensen. I mean it."_

_I doubt he's going to the common room...Oh, Draco Malfoy, what are you hiding?_

* * *

A few days after the Weasley incident, Draco was not in a good mood as he headed toward the Room of Requirements. The whole school would be at the Hufflepuff vs Gryffindor game which would give him as much time as he needed to be in the Room. But getting there was proving to be far more difficult than he thought. Especially with Crabbe and Goyle mumbling and bring up how much they hated being disguised like girls.

_The closes you'll ever get to anything female. Should be thanking me._

"Would you two just shut it," Draco snapped as they turned a corner. Draco stopped short at the sight of Harry Potter, not prolonged for long, he gave a short, humorless laugh and continued to walk down the corridor.

"Where are you going?" Potter demanded.

"Yeah, I'm really going to tell you, because it's your business, Potter," Draco sneered. "You'd better hurry up, they'll be waiting for 'the Chosen Captain' — 'the Boy Who Scored' — whatever they call you these days."

One of the girls, Crabbe or Goyle, Draco didn't care which gave an unwilling giggle, causing Potter to stare at her and for her to blush.

_For the love of, Merlin._

Draco rolled his eyes as he pushed past Potter and Crabbe and Goyle followed at a trot. Once around the other corner.

"Nice convincing there," Draco remarked sarcastically just as another person came into view.

_Exactly what I needed..._

"The game is that way, Draco," Angeline Jensen said once she was closer. Wearing a yellow and black pin it was evident what team she was supporting for the day, but that wasn't surprising considering that no Slytherin (even Angeline Jensen) would be caught dead supporting Gryffindor in anything.

"I have no interest in going to the game, Jensen," Draco said, but Draco realized she wasn't even paying much attention to him.

"Who are they?" Angeline asked looking at the two standing on either side of him. "Trade in Crabbe and Goyle for two third years? Are they even in our house? Unless they are Crabbe and Goyle, then you're breaking the law."

"Don't move," he ordered his two companions as he grabbed Angeline by the arm and pulled her far enough from the disguised Crabbe and Goyle. "Listen, not a word of this to anyone."

"A word of what?" Angeline asked.

"That you saw me," Draco said. "Or them for that matter," he added with a nod toward Crabbe and Goyle. Angeline glanced at them, to her they were just third year girls.

"I've seen them before. On the seventh floor late at night." She said as she brought her attention back to him. "Isn't that where that Come and Go Room is located?" she paused with a quick look at the two girls, before she looked up at him her eyes widening a little. "Don't tell me those two really are Crabbe and Goyle. What the hell are you up to, Draco?"

"Merlin, mind your own damn business for once, Jensen!" Draco snapped. Angeline winced and Draco realized he still had a hand around her arm and his grip had only gotten tighter. Immediately letting go of her, she took a small step away from him as she rubbed her arm. So much was flashing through her eyes, Draco wasn't sure if she was angry, sad, scared or a combination of the three. "Listen, Jensen—"

_I'm sorry._

"No," Angeline said quickly cutting him off. "I mean, it's fine," she amended. "I never saw you or your two little dolls. If you would excuse me," Sweeping past him she walked at a much quicker pace than Draco had usually seen her walk, only once did she look over her shoulder at him. Draco watched her go until she had turn the corner at the very end of the corridor.

"Come on the two of you. We've wasted enough time," Draco said to Crabbe and Goyle.

"She knows doesn't she?" Goyle...or was it Crabbe asked. "I told you it wasn't going to work!" Crabbe most definitely. "Got us taking that potion for what reason?"

"She doesn't know and she won't so just keep your mouths shut and do what you're told!" Draco snapped. "Even if she does know who is going to tell? And who would be believe her?"

_She speculates, but she doesn't know for sure. Still, she's in a place I don't want her to be.  
_

_

* * *

_

Angeline made it to the Quidditch pitch just minutes before the start of the game. Making her way through the many people she finally found Blaise and sat down beside him without saying a word. She was frowning at nothing in particular as she bit her bottom lip in thought.

"What's your problem?" Blaise asked nonchalantly.

"Nothing," Angeline replied. "I'm thinking, don't talk to me right now." Blaise raised an eyebrow before he turned and watched as the game was on its way to beginning.

Harry Potter shook hands with the Hufflepuff Captain, and then, on Madam Hooch's whistle, each team kicked off and rose into the air. Angeline didn't truly care who won the game. She wanted to go back up to the castle and head immediately to the seventh floor...

_Leave it alone._..

"And that's Smith of Hufflepuff with the Quaffle," said a dreamy voice, echoing over the grounds. "He did the commentary last time, of course, and Ginny Weasley flew into him, I think probably on purpose, it looked like it. Smith was being quite rude about Gryffindor, I expect he regrets that now he's playing them — oh, look, he's lost the Quaffle, Ginny took it from him, I do like her, she's very nice. ..."

Angeline stared toward the commentator's podium. She'd only met and spoken to Luna Lovegood once, but to let her commentate a game was, well, loony. But even from where Angeline sat there was no mistaking that long, dirty-blonde hair. Beside Luna, Professor McGonagall was looking slightly uncomfortable, as though she was indeed having second thoughts about this appointment.

"...but now that big Hufflepuff player's got the Quaffle from, her, I can't remember his name, it's something like Bibble — no, Buggins —"

"It's Cadwallader!" said Professor McGonagall loudly from beside Luna. The crowd laughed. Even Angeline who had recently been lost in thought let out a laugh. Moments later, Cadwallader scored considering that, McLaggen seemed to be shouting at someone on his own team.

Angeline sighed as Hufflepuffs and Slytherins cheered and jeered. Her mind wondered if, Draco had really been sick during the Gryffindor verse Slytherin game or if he'd run off to do what ever it was he was so intent on doing in secret. That small voice in the back of her head told her to leave it all alone, making her scowl slightly, first it wanted her to look into things, now it's warning her to back off. Either way she knew she wasn't going to listen. She never did.

_Draco had said the same thing..._

"And Harry Potter's now having an argument with his Keeper," said Luna serenely over the noise. "I don't think that'll help him find the Snitch, but maybe it's a clever ruse. ..."

Bringing her attention back to the game, Angeline watch as Ginny Weasley and Demelza Robins scored a goal apiece, giving the red-and-gold-clad supporters something to cheer about. Then Cadwallader scored once again leaving the game in a tie, but it would seem that Luna Lovegood didn't notice; she appeared singularly uninterested in such mundane things such as the score, and kept attempting to draw everyone's attention to such things as interestingly shaped clouds and the possibility that Zacharias Smith, who had so far failed to maintain possession of the Quaffle for longer than a minute, was suffering from something called "Loser's Lurgy."

_That girl is something else._

"Seventy-forty to Hufflepuff!" barked Professor McGonagall into Luna's megaphone.

"Is it, already?" said Luna vaguely. "Oh, look! The Gryffindor Keeper's got hold of one of the Beater's bats."

Immediately everyone turned their heads to the Gryffindor Keeper and sure enough, McLaggen, for reasons best known to himself, had pulled Peakes's bat from him and appeared to be demonstrating how to hit a Bludger toward an oncoming Cadwallader.

_Just not Gryffindor's game is it? Seems like Weasley really does make a difference. Then again, McLaggen is a troll._

Everyone continued to watch even as Harry Potter yelled at the replacement Keeper. Just as Harry was zooming toward McLaggen, McLaggen took a ferocious swipe at the Bludger and mishit it.

There wasn't a single person in the stands that hadn't winced or hiss in some sort of sympathetic pain as the Bludger connected with Harry Potter's skull and he went falling toward the grass below. Of course it didn't last long as the typical Slytherins laughed as Captain Potter was carried off the field and up to the Castle.

As the game went into a timeout, Angeline contemplated in going into the castle herself. She's be lying if she claimed she wasn't going to go look for Draco.

_You're becoming obsessed._

With a small sigh, Angeline ran her hand through her hair and stayed where she sat to wait out the game. What Draco Malfoy did or didn't do wasn't of her concern. She shouldn't care. She _didn't_ care.

* * *

Draco was in a far better mood than he had been earlier that day. His joy wasn't that the Vanishing Cabinet was working, because though it was improving, it definitely wasn't going to be working anytime soon. His joy came from hearing about how the Boy-Who-Lived was hit with a Bludger, by his own, Keeper. His _Keeper_ of all things.

Regardless it put a small pep in Draco's step as he walked the school grounds. He was in the mood for flying. Heading to the Quidditch pitch now that it was void of other students, he had retrieved his broom and was on his way to Pitch. When he reached the pitch he was surprised to find that one other person was in the mood for flying. Sitting approximately twenty feet in the air, holding a book in one hand and balancing with the other, Angeline sat apparently completely content with the world.

Mounting his broom and kicking off the ground he ascended the twenty feet, where he began to circle her.

"Jensen," he said. She jumped but didn't lose balance as she looked past her book and at him. "Dangerous to be reading at a height like this." he said stopping in front of her.

"Aren't you in a cheery mood," she noted looking back at her book. "Done sneaking around the school with your two new girlfriends?"

"Thought we agreed you never saw us," Draco pointed out.

"True," Angeline said temporarily letting go of her broom to turn the page. Draco was impressed at her balance but said nothing. "Never agreed that I wouldn't bring it up or not think about it for that matter...So why is it that Crabbe and Goyle are both girls? I know they'd do anything for you but...really? Is Parkinson not living up to what she claims?" Draco narrowed his eyes.

"Cheeky," he stated. "I've told you time and time again. What I do is—"

"None of my business," she cut him off. "I know," she added looking at him over the top of her book.

"Then quit asking," he said.

"Is there a reason you're bothering me, Draco?" she asked.

"I came out here to fly."

"The pitch is big enough for the both of us, Draco. I'm not stopping you." she said. "Let me read in peace." Draco rolled his eyes for the second times. If their roles had been switched she would have been the nuisance she was and stayed put. Just to anger him.

_My turn._

Moving his broom closer he snatched the book from her hand watching her regain her balance as she clutched the broom with both hands.

"Oi!" she exclaimed glaring at him. "Give that back!"

"_The Last Spell_," Draco read from the cover before opening to the page Angeline had been reading. "_His life never felt so complete..._" Draco read out loud before shutting the book close with a loud snap. "Sounds like a bunch of rubbish," he said.

"Just give it back, Malfoy," she said.

"Malfoy now? Have I angered you, Jensen?" he asked.

"Depends," Angeline said. "Are you planning on giving back my book?" she asked.

"I think I'll hang on to it," Draco said moving his broom out of her reach and slowly ascended about ten more feet into the air. "If you want it. Come get it."

From his new height he watched her as she seemed to contemplate whether or not she ought to go get her book or just let him have it. It seemed she wasn't going to let him have it as she pointed her broom up and shot toward him.

He only a few seconds to move out her way and to speed off across the pitch, a quick look over his shoulder showed him that she was a lot quicker and far more skilled at riding a broom than he thought she was.

Draco went into a dive and she followed after him without any sign of hesitation. Draco pulled his broom straight at about five feet from the ground, when he didn't hear the sound of a crash he knew she had managed to follow him.

"This is so _stupid_," Draco looked to his left to see she had managed to catch up to him. Despite what she said, she had a grin on her face that said different.

"Then why are you chasing me," Draco yelled over the air pushing past them.

"Because I want my book back," she yelled back. "Enough games, Malfoy!"

Draco smirked in her direction before leaning forward on his broom to increase his speed, but she kept up without a problem. He wasn't sure how she did it, but before he knew it he was knocked off his broom, the book flying out of his hands as the two of them rolled on the ground. When their two bodies came to a stop, Draco found himself chuckling while Angeline was outright laughing. Draco was the first one to sober from their excitement to find that she was laying on top of him, her hands on both sides of his head holding herself up, while his own rested on her waist. She had finally stopped laughing and simply smiled at him. Her windswept hair tickled his cheeks.

He watched as realization dawned on her face and her already pink cheeks darkened.

"Sorry," she mumbled rolling off of him and laying down on the grass beside him. They laid there in silence for what seemed like ages. Draco sat up and groaned in pain as he did so. "Did I hurt you?" Angeline asked sitting up as well.

"No, I just like to groan in pain for no particular reason," he remarked sarcastically.

"Sounds like you," Angeline replied. "Seriously, are you okay?" she asked.

"I'm fine, Jensen," he said. "I would ask if you were okay, but I sort of broke your fall." Angeline let out a short laugh. "What were you thinking when did that anyway?"

"I was thinking I was going to get my book back, whether or not you wanted to give it to me. Speaking of which," she said pulling out her wand. "_Accio_ book." Her book came zooming into her hand.

"Could have just done that to begin with," he muttered rubbing at a sore spot on his lower back.

"That was far more fun don't you agree?" she asked. "I haven't seen you that...alive in months," she said.

"Where did you learn to ride a broom like that?" he asked hoping to take the focus off him.

"Well it was my uncle on my father's side who taught me how to fly. He was the one that said I could be a Chaser." she said. Draco noticed the nostalgia on her face which easily turned into a sadness he couldn't explain. "But I worked on my flying alone mostly during the summer holidays just to get out of the house more than anything."

"You really don't like your parents," Draco said. Angeline shrugged.

"Doesn't really matter," she said looking down at the watch on her wrist. "It's nearly dinner time already."

Draco stood up and turned sticking his hand out for her to take. Angeline raised an eyebrow at him. "Do you want help up or not?" Draco questioned. Angeline took his hand and he pulled her up. Once she was on her feet they immediately let go of the others hand.

Quietly they both collected their discarded brooms and started up to the castle.

"Jensen," Draco said when they were nearing the castle.

"Yeah I know," she said pulling her wand out again and pointing it at her broom. She let it shrink to the size of the palm of her hand before she put it away with her wand. "Can't be seen together. People will talk and we can't have that now can we?"

"Definitely not," Draco said.

"You can go through there. I can go through another." she suggested. Draco nodded. "See you at dinner," she said before she started toward another exit. Draco watched her go until she turned a corner and disappeared around the side of the castle.

Draco entered the school, broom thrown over his shoulder. Despite all that was going on in his life. Was it wrong for him to feel as great as he did?

_Yeah._

He didn't give a damn._  
_

* * *

**That's the end of that chapter! And I'm excited, because...well for two reasons! Because I'm approaching what is probably my favorite part of this story! And because _Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows_ is coming out very, _very_ soon!**

**Now about the title for the sequel. Many of you said you liked the title _Complexity_. Though I'm super happy that you liked it, I found myself unsatisfied. But along came _carpe-diem-1299_ and she suggested _Clandestine_ and I immediately fell in love. So there it is, the title for the sequel. I hope you all like it. Many thanks to you, _carpe-diem-1299_.  
**

**_Cladestine _–adjective characterized by, done in, or executed with secrecy or concealment, especially for purposes of subversion or deception; private or surreptitious. **

**Thank you for the lovely support everyone! Thank you for reading & hopefully reviewing! :)**

**I solemnly swear I'm up to no good. And my mischief is no where close to being managed. **

**Now excuse me while I go freak out!  
**

**Much Love,  
TR  
**


	11. Chapter 11

**Happy Holidays!**

**Chapter 11 is here for you! **

**I want to say thank you to: ****_vampire-angel1996, xXMizz Alec VolturiXx,carpe-diem-1299, L.A.H.H, xXxCastielxXx, BadassAlec, Doppelganger13, LuvTaylor01, kaileena7, TemaxShika forever, and Nicky-Maree._**

**And thank you to everyone that favorite and added my story to there alerts. It means a lot to me!_  
_**

**Disclaimer:** I think you know the deal by now.

* * *

****Angeline sat at one of the study tables in the common room working on her Defense Against the Dark Arts essay about how to defend oneself against dementors. She was the last person in the common room the way she typically liked it.

Earlier when they had all come back from dinner to find a new sign on the notice board that announced the date of their Apparition Test. Those who would be seventeen on or before the first test date, the twenty-first of April, had the option of signing up for additional practice sessions, which would take place (heavily supervised) in Hogsmeade.

Unfortunately for Angeline, she had nothing to be excited about, considering she would not be in seventeen by the first test date and not by the second either, being that her birthday was the seventeenth of June. She sighed at the thought of having to get her Apparation license during the summer holidays.

Glaring down at her essay she thought of how much she loathed Snape for assigning such an asinine topic. What could have been written or better yet said out loud in a matter of thirty seconds or less, needed to be explained in unnecessary detail. If she was to ever cross paths with a dementor (which could happen) she wouldn't stop and question whether or not a patronus would work. That hesitation would definitely leave her soulless, and she quite liked her soul thank-you-very-much.

"You'll snap that quill in half," Angeline didn't have to look too see who had sat across from her. She knew the voice far too well.

"Rather it be your neck, Malfoy?" she asked finally looking into his pale face. That day of what she deemed spontaneous fun was a day she couldn't quite understand. It was fun and she could honestly say she enjoyed her time with Draco far more than should have been expected. But that was nearly three weeks ago and for the most part things had gone back to normal for them. Well as normal as she wanted to believe, but Blaise _had to_ point out to her the night before; "You and Malfoy are far too friendly toward each other lately."

And if she was to be completely honest with herself she had noticed as well.

She was positively sure she (_and Blaise_) weren't the only ones. Angeline felt like Pansy Parkinson was throwing extra metaphorical daggers her way.

Her entire _relationship_ –she used the term loosely– with Draco was odd.

"Don't really mean that, do you, Jensen?" Draco asked.

"Shouldn't you be off somewhere in the school?" She questioned. Draco's features turned dark for a moment before he leaned back in his chair his arms folded over his chest.

"Beats working on a bloody essay about dementors," he said looking down at her parchment.

"I assume you haven't done it yet," she said. "It's due," she glanced at her watch. "Today."

Draco shook his head. "You've assumed wrong. I've done it. It's been done for awhile now."

"Then explain to me why you're bothering me," Angeline said setting her quill down. "I'm sure you have far more important things to do. You _always_ have far more important things to do...or so that's what Parkinson complains about."

Angeline watched as Draco's eyes became unfocused as though he was remembering something. Something he'd rather forget about.

"It can wait a little longer," he said after a long moment.

"Well, unfortunately this essay cannot," Angeline said picking up her quill once more and tried to write. However in those few short seconds of staring at the parchment with her quill hovering over it, the task proved to be futile, she wasn't going to finish this essay any time soon. "I can't do this," she said dropping her quill. "I mean it's about dementors, all you have to do is think of a happy memory and say; _Expecto patronum_. It's not that hard."

The look on Draco's face read amusement. "Jensen, you're practically done," he said. That might have been true, but that didn't stop her from packing her things and putting them away.

"It's just a conclusion that I can write up at lunch," she mumbled as she sat back in her own chair with a sigh. "What are you doing up if not to be out and about?" she asked casually.

"Couldn't sleep," Draco replied. Angeline looked him over. He didn't seem like someone that had just gotten out of bed just to go sit in the common room. He was still dressed in his day clothes, much like she was, though she had an excuse.

"Going somewhere then?"

"Possibly," he answered shortly. He was staring off toward the center of the common room obviously lost in his own thoughts.

"Care to enlighten me on where you're going?" Angeline asked out of pure curiosity. Draco's distant eyes came back into focus and met hers. The corners of his mouth turned upward into a tight smile.

"I'm distracted, Jensen, but not enough to not notice what you're doing," he said.

Angeline returned the tight smile as she looked away from his gray eyes. She was just trying to have a conversation with him, she should have known better. Picking up her wand she twirled it between her fingers out of habit. She was tired of sitting there but she didn't want to go to bed. For as tired as she was she was too awake.

"Come on," Angeline stopped twirling her wand and looked at Draco who was standing now.

"Excuse me?"

Draco seemed to be fighting the urge to roll his eyes. "Are you coming?" he asked.

"And where exactly are we going?" she questioned. This time he did roll his eyes before he turned on his heel and headed for the exit. "Where are you going?" she called. He didn't stop walking or acknowledge that she had said anything as he left the common room. Grumbling under her breath she stood from the table, kicking her bag under it before she half jogged out of the common room. "Draco," she said once she was in step with him. "You're a bloody git," she stated in a whisper.

"Your point?" he questioned.

"Where are we going?" she asked. They were keeping close to the walls and the shadows as they crept their way out of the dungeons. When Draco didn't answer she heaved a heavy sigh and just followed him in silence.

_You shouldn't follow people blindly...he could be trying to kill you for all you know..._

She smirked slightly. As if he could kill someone. It was a humorous thought, Draco Malfoy the Murderer. The title made her want to laugh.

They were outside the castle walls before she knew it. Draco glanced back at her and promptly frowned.

"What are you smiling at?" Draco asked her as they walked the edge of the courtyard.

"Was just thinking about what if you—" she stopped herself as they turned the side of the wall that covered them from many of the windows.

"What if I what?" Draco questioned his frown deepened as Angeline sat herself down on the grass.

"Why are we out here?" she asked instead. She didn't think telling him what she really was thinking about would have made him laugh. Draco narrowed his eyes.

"Thought _you_ could use fresh air." he said before his sat down a little away from her with his back against the wall.

_Odd._

She turned her body so she could look at him. He had that far off look again that he had in the common room. Out in the moonlight she thought he looked slightly gray...if that was possible. Almost dead like. As though he was in great need for sunlight. Which she always thought Draco Malfoy needed. Sighing as she looked up at the sky. His well-being shouldn't be her concern, but it was and she wasn't sure if she was okay with it.

Staring up at the sky she wondered what really went through his head. He wasn't always so...secluded from everything. He used to always have something to say, always something to brag about.

"Do you remember when we were younger and our parents would throw those dinner parties during the year," Angeline asked suddenly. She turned to look at him as she wait for his response. His gaze met hers and he seemed to sneer as he thought of the many dinner parties he was forced to dress up for an attend.

"You and I always put together. Bloody near killed one another if Blishwick wasn't there to hate," Draco said. "What about them?" he asked.

"I miss the innocence of it all," Angeline said. "I guess just the innocence of being young." she elaborated with a wistful sigh.

"Never really had to make decisions ourselves. They were already laid out for us." Draco said quietly. Angeline nodded.

"Though," Angeline pondered. "Could we really say it was better then?" Draco ran a hand through his hair.

"You want the truth?" he asked. Angeline nodded slowly. "Yes, _I_ can say it was better then. A year ago was better even."

_What's wrong with him?_

"Given your situation—"

"You have no idea of my situation," Draco snapped.

"Emotionally perhaps," Angeline growled. "What I was going to say before you snapped at me was that we have to grow up at some time in our lives. There's a point when we're no longer innocent and we have to make our own choices. It's really up to us whether we take a situation we're in and allow it to control us or we take it and make it work to our advantage."

By the look that appeared on his face it was very evident that, that was not what he wanted to hear.

"Let's say then that you make a choice then, and there is nothing positive to come out of it, originally there was a positive to _it_ but as time goes on...what's the use? And you know you're going to fail." he asked her. Angeline frowned not entirely sure what he was going on about.

_Have you made a choice in your life Draco that you're regretting because you're failing in whatever it might be?_

"If you know your failing I guess there's nothing you really can do," Angeline started quietly. "You've made the choice so there's nothing you can do but learn from it. If you fail then you fail. There will be other opportunities in life. You move on. One failure in life isn't going to be the end of everything."

"Failure isn't an option, Jensen," he said.

"Are you—in some sort of trouble, Draco?" she asked slowly.

"No," he answered. Angeline felt as though he had answered far too quickly. "Just conversation." Angeline nodded.

_I don't believe you._

"Well, you can't keep thinking that you're going to fail. When you think you're going to fail...you do." she said. "At least that's what I was always told."

Draco scoffed and looked away from her.

"How did this turn from childhood memories to the future?" She really wanted to know. She was concerned that something was wrong with Draco. That he needed help with something but he was too stubborn to ask for it. She was exactly the same way.

"You have a terrible attention span," he said tightly. They fell into silence, Angeline just watched him as they sat there. The minutes ticked by and not once did she break that silence. For once she had nothing to say. Nothing she could say. She was for lack of better word confused.

_What's going on with you?_

* * *

Draco leisurely strolled into Defense Against the Dark Arts. He knew he appeared far calmer than he actually felt, but he couldn't let it show. He was a Malfoy and a Slytherin, he was good at pretending. Sitting in his seat he watched as more of his classmates walked into the room. Pansy sat down beside him and immediately began talking to him, but he wasn't paying much attention to her.

Angeline walked in a moment later, she paused when she met his eye briefly before she sat herself across the aisle from where he and Pansy sat. The night before they had sat in the courtyard in mostly silence until she stood up claiming she was tired and needed sleep. He had asked for advice without actually asking for it and she gave him some...but it wasn't exactly what he wanted to hear. Just some mediocre pep talk.

"Why are you so interested in her?" Pansy's voice finally broke him away from his train of thought.

"What?" Draco asked.

"Why are you so interested in, Jensen?" Pansy questioned. "You never spend time with me. Instead you're busy doing your _job_ and then there are moments when you talk to her like you're such great friends."

"You're pathetic," Draco snapped. He'd been doing that a lot more lately. "You're seeing things, simply because you want another reason to hate her." Pansy stared at him opened mouthed before shutting it and turning away from him her arms crossed, cutting off any communication between the two of them.

_For the better. But it won't last long. She's like the bloody plague..._

More and more students strode in. Every single one of them taking out their essays that were due in only a matter of minutes. Draco pulled out his own, not really caring whether or not Snape would give him a good grade or not.

Snape walked into the room his cloak billowing behind him as he made his way to the front of the room. At one point, Draco would have said that his head of house was his favorite teacher, but now Draco wanted nothing to do with the man. The less contact he had with him the better.

"Late again, Potter," said Snape coldly, as Potter hurried into the candlelit classroom. "Ten points from Gryffindors." Potter scowled at Snape as he flung himself into the seat beside Weasley. Half the class were still on their feet, taking out books and organizing their things; Potter was no later than the rest of them, but Draco wasn't going to say anything, for anything that made the Boy-Who-Lived miserable made Draco happy.

"Before we start, I want your dementor essays," said Snape, waving his wand carelessly, so that twenty-five scrolls of parchment soared into the air and landed in a neat pile on his desk. "And I hope for your sakes they are better than the tripe I had to endure on resisting the Imperius Curse. Now, if you will all open your books to page—what is it, Mr. Finnigan?"

"Sir," said Finnigan, "I've been wondering, how do you tell the difference between an Inferius and a ghost? Because there was something in the paper about an Inferius—"

"No, there wasn't," said Snape in a bored voice.

"But sir, I heard people talking—"

"If you had actually read the article in question, Mr. Finnigan, you would have known that the so-called Inferius was nothing but a smelly sneak thief by the name of Mundungus Fletcher."

Draco could hear from the back of the room, Potter muttering something or another to his sidekicks.

_Could you be anymore annoying._

"But Potter seems to have a lot to say on the subject," said Snape, pointing at the back of the room, his black eyes fixed on Potter. "Let us ask Potter how we would tell the difference between an Inferius and a ghost."

The whole class looked around at Potter. Draco rolled his eyes, it really wasn't that hard. "Er—well—ghosts are transparent—" Potter said.

_Well, that's incredibly helpful, Potter. Way to go._

"Oh, very good," interrupted Snape, his lip curling. "Yes, it in easy to see that nearly six years of magical education have not been wasted on you, Potter. 'Ghosts are transparent.'"

Pansy Parkinson let out a high-pitched giggle much to Draco's annoyance. His ears may never forgive him. Several other people were smirking. Draco looked to Angeline, she had lowered her head and was shaking it as though in disbelief. Potter took a deep breath and continued calmly, "Yeah, ghosts are transparent, but Inferi are dead bodies, aren't they? So they'd be solid—"

"A five-year-old could have told us as much," sneered Snape. "The Inferius is a corpse that has been reanimated by a Dark wizard's spells. It is not alive, it is merely used like a puppet to do the wizard's bidding. A ghost, as I trust that you are all aware by now, is the imprint of a departed soul left upon the earth, and of course, as Potter so wisely tells us, transparent. "

"Well, what Harry said is the most useful if we're trying to tell them apart!" Weasley said. "When we come face-to-face with one down a dark alley, we're going to be having a look to see if its solid, aren't we, we're not going to be asking, 'Excuse me, are you the imprint of a departed soul?'" There was a ripple of laughter, instantly quelled by the look Snape gave the class.

"Another ten points from Gryffindor," said Snape. "I would expect nothing more sophisticated from you, Ronald Weasley, the boy so solid he cannot Apparate half an inch across a room."

_There are days I really do like this class..._

"Now open your books to page two hundred and thirteen," said Snape, smirking a little, "and read the first two paragraphs on the Cruciatus Curse."

There was a rustling of pages as everyone in the class was turning to the assigned pages. Draco looked over Pansy's head at Angeline she was staring at the book in front of her with her arms crossed a small frown etched on her face.

_What is she thinking about?_

She must have known he was watching her, for she lifted her head and looked directly at him. She raised an eyebrow before turning her attention back to her book. Draco sighed and rested his chin on the palm of his hand as he pretended to read the two paragraphs assigned.

If she really knew what he had...gotten himself into perhaps she would understand the predicament that laid out in front of him. She would have understood that he didn't have much time left, the term would be over in two months and if Dumbledore wasn't dead...then he and his family would be.

_Draco Malfoy, Murderer..._ It left a sour taste in his mouth.

Now if he were to tell her, it wasn't like she would help him. He knew all this. She'd probably want nothing to do with him. And he really didn't want that, though he would never want to admit it.

But that was the least of _his _concerns.

The Cabinet still wasn't mended. True it had improved there was no doubt about that, but there would have been the chance that someone would have been caught in limbo if they were to use it in it's current state.

And that meant he was sitting far too close to the failure zone. He needed to be focused. He needed to cut ties with anyone that distracted him.

Everyone.

He'd only keep Crabbe and Goyle around in their female forms in order to guard the entrance to the Room of Requirements for him. For however long it took he would be the most focused he had ever been. Even if it killed him.

_It just might._ He reminded himself.

Removing his chin off his hand he sat up straight as Snape began to address the class. Draco felt more determined than ever.

From this moment forward, he would avoid Angeline Jensen until his mission was complete.

Come to think of it, he could extend that to after his mission was complete. He looked over at her again she was absently tapping the edge of the table. Draco faced forward again. What were the odds that she would interact with a known Death Eater..._willingly_?

_Those aren't very good odds._

He let out a small breath.

_Cut the whatever ties you have now, Draco..._

* * *

Weeks had gone by and Angeline had found it possibly the hardest to get Draco alone or better yet to even find him when he wasn't in classes because he was skipping far more meals than she thought healthy. And it wasn't just that, he had completely stopped talking to her. It was as though she had done something to anger him or something along those line. But he didn't retaliate in any kind of way. Whenever she was in his presence he acted as though she didn't exist.

To think that she couldn't sleep before, the constant flow of thoughts that occupied her mind every night made her sleeping habit ten times worse. He was like a bloody _virus_ that plagued her brain. Yet, she only had herself to blame. If she wasn't so _bloody_ curious and extending upon that, concerned about him, perhaps she could sleep.

Sighing as she made her way to Potions. Angeline was tempted to skip the class, majority of her year mates were being tested for their Apparation License. She'd wished Blaise luck before he'd gone but she didn't mean it really. She knew he'd pass it with no problem. She wish she could have taken it, she could Apparate with no problem and just to have to wait until the summer holidays really angered her.

Entering the Potions classroom she let out another sigh when realizing there would be only four of them in there: Ernie MacMillian, Harry Potter, Draco Malfoy, and herself.

_Fabulous._

Heading to her work table she sat in the seat that was usually, Blaise's seat during class, leaving a space between herself and Draco.

"All too young to Apparate just yet?" said Slughorh genially, "Not turned seventeen yet?"

They all shook their heads.

"Ah well," said Slughorn cheerily, "as we're so few, we'll do something for fun. I want you all to brew me up something amusing!"

_This should be fun._ Angeline thought allowing a small smile to grace her lips.

"That sounds good, sir," said Ernie sycophantically, rubbing his hands together.

Draco, on the other hand, did not crack a smile. "What do you mean, 'something amusing'?" he said irritably.

"Oh, surprise me," said Slughorn airily.

Draco opened his copy of Advanced Potion-Making with a sulky expression. It could not have been plainer that he thought this lesson was a waste of time. Undoubtedly, Angeline thought, watching him over the top of her own book, Draco was begrudging the time he could otherwise be spending some place else.

She continued to study him over the top of her book, Draco looked thinner, but there was more missing than just his physical appearance. There was no air of smugness, excitement, or superiority; none of the swagger that he had had for years. The boy she was looking at now was nothing more but the shell of the boy she thought she knew...

_How long has he been like this?_

Concerned by this thought, Angeline skimmed through her copy of Advanced Potion-Making and found the instructions to a "Laugh-inducing Potion," which matched Slughorn's instructions. Grabbing the things she needed, she returned to her work station where she began to work on her potion.

"Feeling alright there, Draco?" she asked once her potion's instructions called for it to come to a boil. Draco looked up from his cauldron briefly before looking back down.

"I'm fine," he mumbled.

"What potion are you brewing?" Angeline asked casually.

"Hiccuping Solution," she barely heard him over the hissing of her cauldron. They fell silent again as Angeline went back to working on her potion.

"It's a little annoying that we can't take the Apparation test today don't you think?" she asked as she mentally counted the number of stirs her potion asked for.

"Actually, it's a little annoying that you keep talking," Draco replied without looking up. He sighed as he dropped what looked like grass into his cauldron and he looked up at her. "I'm not in the mood for small talk," he said.

Angeline shrugged and turned back to her cauldron. She'd respect that he wanted to be left alone...for now.

The room was mostly quiet except for the sounds of things falling into cauldrons and the hissing of potions. Slughorn called time about fifteen minutes before the class would be over with. He started with Draco's cauldron.

"A Hiccuping Solution?" Slughorn questioned. "Fits my instructions. It's passable Mr Malfoy." Angeline watched Draco glare at their Potions Professor as he made his way over to her cauldron. "And what have you got for me, Miss Jensen?"

"A Laugh-inducing Potion, sir," she answered. Slughorn gave her potion a small stir and a whiff.

"Very well done, possibly the best work you've presented," he said moving on to the Harry and Ernie's table.

"Well, now, this looks absolutely wonderful," Slughorn said clapping his hands together as he stared down into the contents of Harry's cauldron. Angeline almost wanted to throw something into his potion to make it explode. "Euphoria, I take it? And what's that I smell? Mmmm...you've added just a sprig of peppermint, haven't you? Unorthodox, but what a stroke of inspiration, Harry, of course, that would tend to counterbalance the occasional side effects of excessive singing and nose-tweaking...I really don't know where you get these brain waves, my boy...unless —"

Angeline watched as Harry seemed to shift slightly.

_And what are you hiding, Potter?_

"— it's just your mother's genes coming out in you!"

"Oh...yeah, maybe," she thought that Harry sounded relieved.

_Everyone is entitled to their secrets, even the Chosen One. Not like he's hurting anyone anyway..._

Ernie was looking rather grumpy; he had been determined to outshine Harry for once, he had most rashly invented his own potion, which had curdled and formed a kind of purple dumpling at the bottom of his cauldron. Angeline thought it was amusing and would have given him a far higher grade, but that was bending the rules.

Angeline began to clean her station, she finished just in time as the bell rang. She, Ernie, and Draco left the room at once leaving Harry and Slughorn in the room together. The walk out of the dungeons was a silent one as the three of them headed to new destinations. When Ernie had broke off leaving Draco and Angeline as they continued to climb the Grand Staircase, Draco turned around to face her on the stairs.

"Where do you think you're going?" He asked.

"I'm not following you if that's what you think I'm doing," she said. "I'm actually heading to the library to do research. I have a Charms essay to write." Draco studied her before he turned and hurried up the stairs at a quicker pace than he had been going before. Angeline watched him go, he looked back at her once when he had reached the seventh floor stairs.

That curiosity that typically presented itself in moments like this egged her on to try to see where he was going, but she knew where he was going that was no secret, so the real pull of her curiosity was what he was doing in the Room of Requirements.

However she went to the library like she said she was. The time she spent in the library, instead of parchment filled with various Charms to compare it was filled with various things Draco could have been doing.

"Say hello to another sleepless night," she mumbled as she balled the parchment up and stuffed it in her bag.

She's just have to get him to talk to her. In theory it was easy, in practice...it was far harder.

_You'd have to find him first..._

* * *

It would have been an understatement to say that he was having a bad day. But then again, everyday that the Vanishing Cabinet wasn't working was a bad day in Draco's opinion.

Sure it was true that there was much needed improvement, however that just wasn't enough for him. He needed it working at one hundred percent if he was going to get his back up.

His wand was clenched tightly in his hand as he stood in the empty classroom that, Angeline had shown him months ago. He'd placed a silencing charm on the door and locked it before he began send spell after spell at the desk in the room. Feeling satisfied when one when crack or go sliding into opposite walls.

He felt a strong sense of euphoria as one even exploded. When shards of wood flew at him, he didn't care he was _hoping_ they'd hit him, but when they didn't and bounced off a Shield Charm he didn't cast he turned and looked at the door that had be been silenced and locked to find Angeline standing there her wand pointed in his direction.

"Are you out of your bloody mind?" she asked as she closed the door with her foot. "You could hurt yourself."

"How did you get in here?" Draco questioned.

"Believe it or not I can unlock a door, Malfoy," she said glancing around the room at the mess he had made. "Your silencing charm needs work by the way."

"If that's all then you can leave," Draco growled. He didn't want to be around her right now. He'd been doing so well with staying out of her company. And here she was standing before him confusion and concern laced on her face.

"What's going on?" she asked as she pointed her wand at the broken desk and put it back together with a flick of her wand.

"I don't have to tell you anything," Draco said as he watched her clean the room and put things back to where they had been. He put his wand away not trusting himself _not_ to use it on her. "Why can't you just leave me alone, Jensen? Let me blow up a few desk and you go back to the Common Room."

Angeline didn't say anything as she moved around the room and sat on the desk she had not too long ago put back together.

"You of all people should know I'm _not_ going _anywhere_," she said. Draco growled as he closed the gap between them and slammed his hands down on either side of her. His gray eyes bore into her light green eyes. She was unflinching as she stared back, the same concern he had seen plenty of times before. It drove him _insane_. "I'm worried about you." Her voice was quiet but it seemed to ring in his ears.

"What possible right do you have to worry about me?" he questioned.

"You're not eating for one thing, Draco," she said. "And your getting little to no sleep." She added. Her hand came up and gently brushed his hair from his eyes before she brought her hand to rest on his cheek. "What trouble have you gotten yourself into, Draco?"

He didn't understand why he let her touch him, but her touch was warm. Comforting even.

"I'm not in any trouble," he said. She smiled but it didn't meet her tired eyes.

"You used to be a better liar," she said as her hand dropped back down to her lap. Draco pushed himself away from her, his head pounding. He wished she'd go away as he turned his back to her. "I know what it's like to think you'll never succeed," Angeline said quietly.

"No you don't!" Draco yelled as he turned around to face her. "You have no bloody idea what I'm going through! No _bloody_ idea what I have to do! You can't possibly understand!"

Shock fell on her face as she stared at him. Draco for once had rendered her completely speechless, but he wasn't done.

"What do you care?" he asked. He wanted to know. He needed to know. "I'm horrible to you. Yet you care...why?"

Angeline looked confused by the question as though she never anticipated for him to question why she cared. Better yet, she herself didn't understand why she cared. Apparently things weren't as simple as she thought it was. Draco should have broke that news to her long ago.

"You—you aren't horrible to me," she finally said. "Never were you _horrible_ to me," she added.

"Answer the question," Draco demanded.

"What does it matter if I care?" Angeline questioned as she jumped down from the desk. "Does there have to be a reason?"

"Yes," Draco stated as though fact. She shifted her weight to one foot as she crossed her arms.

"I don't care, Malfoy," She said. Draco forced himself not to laugh. And here she had said he used to be a better liar, in his opinion so did she. "But I refuse to stand here when it's obvious there's something wrong with you and the way you're going about whatever it is can't be healthy..."

"Sounds to me like you care, Jensen," Draco said crossing his arms over his chest. "Why is it so hard for you to admit that you care just a little? What are you afraid of?"

"I'm not afraid of anything," she said a little too quick for his liking. "This isn't about me," she said. "It's about you Draco, and you're avoiding the question. I'm tired of pretending I don't notice. I'm tired of trying to come up with solutions to why you're so different. It's... _You're_ driving me _mad_."

Draco let out a humorless laugh as for the second time he closed the space between them and stormy gray eyes clashed with flashing green eyes. They stood there for what felt like forever arms crossed locked in a staring contest. Both too stubborn to back down.

"Stop being so damn persistent," Draco said coolly. "_People_ aren't as simple as you want them to be. I apologize that the world is too damn hard for you to understand. _Life_ isn't a game of chess."

"I believe it is, we're all just pawns working for someone else whether we like it or not." she stated. Draco was tempted to tell her how right she was, but that would only fuel her curiosity. "It's just a matter of you taking control yourself and becoming the manipulator..."

"You miss the point," Draco snarled.

"I see it clearly," Angeline retorted. "I get it. You want me to leave you alone. Saying that life has suddenly brought a change in you. I get it. But that's not good enough. It's a shite answer and you know it!"

"What exactly do you want to know, Jensen?" Draco questioned. "I'm curious."

"I've told you numerous times what I want to know. And that is what you're up to." she said.

"When will you learn, I won't tell you anything just because you _want_ to know." Draco asked taking a step back and turning away from her. "You're nothing more than an infuriating nosy little girl trying to act like she knows it all. When for the first time she doesn't know something she near about throws a tantrum." Draco said with a quick glance over his shoulder at her. Her eyes were narrowed and her arms were no longer crossed. "Going to run out the room like you did the last time I hit a little too close to home?" he taunted as he looked backed to the door. "How about I do you a favor and leave you to cry your little eyes out?" he questioned.

When she said nothing Draco made for the door. Glad he'd finally shut her up. Glad he could leave the room without her stopping him. He didn't have to tell her his secret plus maybe now she'd finally just leave—

"You and I are no different, Draco." Draco's hand stopped on the door completely frozen. "Because of that I won't judge you. Just...Explain to me what's going on." Draco's hand clutched in a fist as glanced over his shoulder at her sending her his coldest glare.

_Just show her the Mark. Prove to her that she's wrong. Show her that she should stay in her own little imaginary world and stop prodding where she shouldn't be. _

"Go to hell," he said as he swung the door open and stormed out slamming it behind him as he headed to Merlin knows well.

_At least Moaning Myrtle knows when to leave well enough alone..._

* * *

"Go to hell," The sound of the door slamming echoed in the classroom. Angeline stared at the place Draco had just been. She'd gotten absolutely nowhere if anything she had only made it worse.

There was without a doubt that Draco would not want anything to do with her. She should have known better than to go looking for him them. She should have known that nothing good would have come from going to him then. But she was stubborn. She should have just asked if he was okay, leave and go get some sleep.

Angeline scoffed as she ran her hand through her hair. The more she pushed, the more defensive he was becoming throwing anything he could to try and hurt her feelings. She should have started listing things off of her theory sheet to see what his reaction was use the same method...but she didn't.

The moment was gone. There was nothing she could actually do now. She'd just have to wait for him to come to her like he usually did. Because right now...her current method of getting the information she wanted was backfiring.

She'd let him be she'd continue to watch but she'd leave to himself.

"Patience..." she mumbled as she left the classroom to return to the common room to get some sleep before classes began in only a few hours.

* * *

**I left both of them very confused and more distant than before. Aren't I horrible?**

**Yes. **

**Because originally this was the chapter where they were supposed to kiss...Instead I decided to have them lash out at one another and made Angeline a little more forceful in trying to fulfill her need to know what the hell Draco is doing. And now they're more distant and hateful than ever...Next chapter should make up for it...somewhat. haha.  
**

**Out of curiosity;  
1)By canon Draco doesn't have a middle name. But if he had one what would it be? (I for one refuse for him to be Draco Lucius Malfoy...bleh. Draco Regulus Malfoy has been a favorite of mine however.)  
**

**2) What did you think of HP7 (if you saw it)? (Personally I loved it. It followed the book far closer than any of the other movies and I appreciated that greatly. Though there were points when I was shaking my head, but that was just me being picky. XD)**

**And to Carpe-Diem1229! Your gift will be up soon, I'm still working on it! Because I want it to be amazing. :)**

**Happy Holidays Everyone! :)**

**Review? For the Holidays? ^_^  
**

**Much Love,  
TR  
**


	12. Chapter 12

**Okay...let me start by saying that this is probably my favorite chapter of all the chapters I've written. This chapter has been a favorite even BEFORE I wrote it. It's actually the reason for this story. My favorite part of Half Blood Prince occurs in this chapter. I'm really excited for this chapter. I hope you feel the same way. :)**

**I owe my thanks to;** _**xXMizz Alec VolturiXx, carpe-diem-1299, L.A.H.H, vampire-angel1996, LuvTaylor01, xXxCastielxXx, Emmalee, Nicky-Maree, NumbnessForSound, **_**and**_** AshleyRoseSparrow**_

**Without further ado, here's Chapter 12!**

**Disclaimer: **I'm just a college student _still_ trying to figure out what life if all about. Read on!  
**

* * *

**Angeline sat in the Common Room her head leaning back as she tried to listen to what Blaise was saying about her current essay, according to him, she had wrote it wrong. She heard him perfectly clear but she wasn't listening. She very well knew the difference. It was the second week of May and she'd stayed out of Draco's way. Not like it took much effort. He avoided her like the plague. Still she watched him as he skipped lunch and sometimes dinner. He was always there in the morning, but he pushed the food on his plate around to appear as though he had indeed ate. There were moments when she almost left her seat to shove the food down his throat.

From her right she heard an annoyed sigh. Angeline opened one eye to look at her only friend. "Don't ask for my help, Jensen, if you aren't going to listen." Blaise said throwing her essay at her. Angeline let the parchment fall off her lap and to the floor before she leaned her head back again and closed her eyes.

"I didn't ask for your help," she said. "You were reading over my shoulder and claimed it was rubbish." she added.

"You wrote the same thing ten times for one paragraph," Blaise pointed out.

"I'm doing research," she mumbled."I'm trying to see if our professors really read our work or just give us a grade depending on whether they like us or not," Angeline said. Even though she wasn't looking she was sure that Blaise had rolled his eyes.

"You've been a bloody mess more than usual," Blaise said. "Could it have something to do with Malfoy?" he questioned. Angeline lifted her head and opened her eyes and looked at him.

"I'm just ready for the term to be over."

Blaise scoffed. "And you expect me to believe that?" Angeline glared at him.

"I don't care if you believe me or not," Angeline said.

"I know you don't," Blaise replied as he stood up. "It's dinner time, you coming?" he asked.

"Yeah," Angeline mumbled as she slowly rose to her feet. She grabbed her discarded essay and threw it into the fire before she followed Blaise out of the Common Room. The two of them headed out of the dungeons at a rather slow pace. Neither excited for dinner nor really in much of a rush. When they reached the Great Hall, Angeline continued toward the Grand Staircase.

"Where are you going?" Blaise questioned. "Thought you were going to dinner."

"I'm just going to walk around the castle for a while. I'm not really hungry," she said. "I'll see you later," she called over her shoulder. Angeline climbed the staircases at the same pace she had when leaving the dungeons. She passed plenty of her schoolmates many of which just ignored her and left her be. No one saw her, no one knew her name, no one cared what she did or where she was going. Being alone never bothered her.

Not really anyway.

_Never really thought about how alone I was...I guess obsessing over Draco filled that void..._

Still, being alone didn't matter to her.

* * *

It was dinner time, but Draco wasn't going to be going. He could feel the panic rising in his chest and it had only gotten worse as the day had gone on. He already felt like he wanted to throw up, he felt that if he went to dinner he'd only have more of an urge to do so.

There was also not to mention that, Angeline would be there no doubt. He stayed out of her way and she stayed out of his, but he always saw the looks she would throw his way when she thought he wasn't looking. He saw it all. Only because it helped keep the thoughts of the Vanishing Cabinet off his mind for the most part. But he wished she'd stop.

_No you don't._

Yes. Yes he did.

Draco ran a hand through his blond hair out of frustration. His heart was beating too fast, his head hurt, his hands were clammy. In short he was a mess. Draco had just left the Room of Requirements. Nothing he did with that Vanishing Cabinet was giving him any hope. The Dark Lord was getting restless, he could feel it in the way his left forearm burned.

It was at the sixth floor when he knew his growing panic wouldn't stay under the surface, and he would rather not have a full blown meltdown where people could see him. What did it matter if he didn't go to dinner for what was the—What? Fourth time in the last week?

At a fast walk he bolted into the boys' bathroom and headed straight to the sink. He turned on the water and splashed his face with it.

"Get yourself together," he told himself as he looked in the mirror. "It'll work—" His face crumbled as he stared at himself. He was completely different than he was a year ago. The confidence no longer lingered in his gray eyes. Instead fear, frustration, hopelessness, along with tears clouded his eyes. "It's not going to work." He told himself.

"You can't think like that," Draco wasn't surprised to hear the voice. Moaning Myrtle had become some sort of a confident during the year. Draco let out a shaky laugh at the irony. An unstable ghost was his confident. What he couldn't tell Angeline or anyone else, he told Moaning Myrtle. Not everything of course...not like he could threaten to kill her if she told anyone his secret.

"And how else should I think?" Draco snapped. His hands were clutching either side of the sink as he bowed his head in despair. "I can't do anything right," he continued. "My tries are useless...I'm useless..." he sobbed. He couldn't hold back his tears anymore. The dams had broke and so had his restraint to keep his panic under control.

"Don't," crooned Moaning Myrtle. "Don't...tell me what's wrong...I can help you..."

"No one can help me," Draco said, his whole body shaking. "I can't do it...I can't...It won't work...and unless I do it soon...he says he'll kill me..."

_I can't die...Not like this..._

Draco felt like he had cried far too many times this year, and it was embarrassing. Let alone to cry in front of a ghost known for her wails. The irony was far too much.

_Get yourself together, Draco._

Draco gasped and gulped and then, with a great shudder, looked up into the cracked mirror and saw Potter staring at him over his shoulder. And his grief was replaced with anger.

_It's always you Potter!_

Draco wheeled around, drawing his wand. Draco's hex missed Potter by inches, shattering the lamp on the wall beside him; Potter had thrown himself sideways, and flicked his wand, but Draco had blocked the jinx and raised his wand for another hex.

_Just die already, Potter. It would solve so many problems. _

"No! No! Stop it!" squealed Moaning Myrtle, her voice echoing loudly around the tiled room "Stop! STOP!"

_I won't let him win. Not this time._

There was a loud bang and the bin behind Potter exploded; Draco barely moved out of the way as a hex backfired off the wall behind his ear and smashed the cistern beneath Moaning Myrtle, who continued to scream loudly; water poured everywhere and it was the moment Draco was waiting for, as Potter slipped.

_He's going to pay. For my Father. My mother. Me. For ruining my life._

"_Cruci—_"

"_SECTUMSEMPRA!_" bellowed Potter as he waved his wand wildly. Draco never saw it coming, but he felt the pain and the blood as he was cut upon his face and chest.

_Death in a bathroom. Not tacky at all. Way to go, Malfoy. And by Potter, no less. Wonderful. What kind of curse was that? Does it matter? You're still as good as dead.  
_

He heard screaming, but it wasn't just Moaning Myrtle. And he highly doubted it was Potter. But he didn't care, he was bleeding to death. How long until he finally succumbed to the darkness?

* * *

Angeline strolled the sixth floor corridor as she stared up at the ceiling not really thinking about much as she absently loosened the tie around her neck and rolled up the sleeve of her school uniform. The sixth floor was quiet for the most part, which was why she had come up there to begin with. As she turned a corridor a sound made her stop and lower her head to stare down the corridor. It had almost sounded like something had broke.

Moving at a faster pace than she had been prior she was sure there that something was happening down that corridor, but what exactly was it? All she knew was that it was getting louder and louder as she got closer and closer to the boys' bathroom. And the more concerned she became. Who would be blowing up things like that?

_Probably a bunch of first years..._

A piercing scream made her think better of it. Picking up her pace into a run she headed to the boys' bathroom at the end of the corridor. She paused at the door briefly thinking of the consequence of entering the boys' bathroom, but another piercing scream made her push the door open and in that moment everything around her slowed and her world felt like it crumbled.

"_SECTUMSEMPRA!_"

Angeline watched in horror as blood spurted from Draco's face and chest as though he had been slashed with an invisible sword. He staggered backward and collapsed onto the waterlogged floor with a great splash, his wand falling from his limp right hand.

She hadn't realized she was screaming until she couldn't breathe. Out the corner of her eye she saw Harry Potter looking aghast.

"No—" he gasped while Angeline ran into the bathroom where she slipped and slid to Draco's side. She was aware she was covered in his blood in a matter of seconds but she didn't care. She knew she should have ran to get help, but with Moaning Myrtle screaming above her, she didn't think she'd have to. Angeline was sure the entire castle could hear her.

Angeline stared down at Draco for a second before she looked at Harry. Slipping and staggering, he got to his feet and plunged toward Draco. He knelt just next to Angeline looking down at Draco. Angeline looked to Draco again, he's face was now shining scarlet, his white hands scrabbling at his blood-soaked chest. She moved to Draco's right side away from Harry because she felt like if she hadn't she'd might lunge at him. She grabbed Draco's hands and pulled them away from his blood-soaked chest. She didn't care that now her hands were covered in his blood, but with Draco's shaking hands in her own equally shaking ones she couldn't stop her outburst.

"What the hell did you do to him?" she screamed at Harry. He jumped surprised. "Why—How? I never thought you of all people, Potter," her voice was cracking, but she refused to cry. "You walk around here like some sort of saint and here you are...I know he's a prick! But...This!" she gestured to with a nod at Draco's body.

"No—I didn't—" Angeline watched as he stammered. From the looks of it he himself didn't know what he had done. Angeline looked away from Harry and to the boy laying between them. He was shaking uncontrollably as more and more of his blood pooled around him. Angeline could feel it soaking into her skirt as she knelt there, her hands clutching his. All she could see was blood. So much blood. Too _much_ blood.

_You're pathetic! You should be helping him!_

But how? She wasn't a Healer. The only healing spell she knew she's only used it on herself. And to use it on him could make him worse if she didn't preform it right.

"I didn't know—It wasn't—I," Harry's stammers were quiet.

"MURDER! MURDER IN THE BATHROOM! MURDER!" Moaning Myrtle was screaming at a deafening volume and cutting Harry off completely.

"Shut up!" Angeline screamed up at the ghost but she went unheard as the door banged open behind Harry and he looked up at the same time Angeline looked down. Their eyes met and Angeline read the terror, the sorrow...the shame.

_I know you're sorry, but...He could really die!_ She wanted to say._  
_

Both of them looked at who had come. It was Snape and his face was livid. Pushing Harry roughly aside, he knelt over Draco, drew his wand, and traced it over the deep wounds the curse had made, muttering an incantation that sounded almost like a song. The flow of blood seemed to ease; Snape wiped the residue from Draco's face and repeated his spell. Now the wounds seemed to be knitting.

Angeline by now had let go of Draco's hands and was looking at Harry who still sat there watching horrified obviously by what he had done. She wasn't entirely sure he was aware he was soaked and covered in Draco's blood much like she was. Moaning Myrtle was still sobbing and wailing overhead. She looked at Draco and Snape again, just as Snape had finished performing his countercurse for the third time, he half-lifted Draco into the standing position.

"You need the hospital wing. There may be a certain amount of scarring, but if you take dittany immediately we might avoid even that...Come...Jensen you as well." he ordered. Angeline immediately picked herself off the floor, she slipped a little and it was then she noticed, Draco's wand. She picked it up and put it with her own.

Snape supported Draco across the bathroom, turning at the door to say in a voice of cold fury, "And you, Potter...You wait here for me."

Angeline glanced back at Harry for the last time before following her Head of House. Despite what just happened, she didn't completely blame him, but she didn't excuse him. She was angry, but she'd saw the look upon his face. He didn't mean it. He was as horrified like she was.

_He can beat himself over it. Plus the backlash he'll get from the school...I won't add to that guilt.__ I won't forgive you. But I won't punish you. You can do that yourself._

The walk to the Hospital Wing was made in complete silence. Angeline was starting to feel extremely uncomfortable in her blood and water soaked clothes. She could feel the blood on her hands and legs starting to dry.

Once in the Hospital Wing, Angeline stood to the side as Snape spoke with Madam Pomfrey. Draco laid upon a bed as the medi-witch began to apply what Angeline suppose was dittany.

"Miss Jensen, a word." Angeline looked at her Head of House without giving a reply. It wasn't a request it was an order. "What were you doing in the boys' bathroom?" he questioned.

"I just happened to be on the floor." she said. "I'd heard noises within the bathroom, sir. When I pushed the door open I saw..." Angeline trailed off as she looked at Draco staring at the ceiling. "Sir, I don't think it was fully intentional—"

"That's enough, Miss Jensen," Snape said cutting her off. "Go get yourself cleaned off. And stay out of trouble. I do not need more of my students in such a predicament." With that he swooped out of the Hospital Wing.

Angeline stood there awkwardly for a moment before turning and heading toward Draco's bed. Madam Pomfrey still stood over Draco, he was still awake. The look on his face wasn't something she could explain.

"Madam Pomfrey?" she said getting the medi-witch's attention. "I know you'd rather have it that I leave, but could I just have a moment..." Madam Pomfrey looked her over.

"You should get cleaned off and come back later," she said. "Mr Malfoy needs to rest."

"Please," Angeline almost begged. "I won't take long." Madam Pomfrey let out a frustrated sigh before turning her back and heading toward her office. Angeline mentally thanked the medi-witch before turning her full attention on Draco. He was watching her calmly, his hair falling into his gray eyes slightly. But the longer she stared all she could see was him covered in blood. Shutting her eyes briefly, she took a deep breath.

"I was really scared," she said quietly once she found her voice again. "I don't know what I would have done if you'd—"

"What were you doing there?" Draco cut her off. His voice was barely above a whisper, but it was effective.

"I—I," she stammered.

"Why?" Draco snapped. His voice raising only slightly.

"I just happened to be on that floor," she explained.

"Just happened to be?" Draco questioned. His gray eyes locked with her green ones with so much emotion, Angeline flinched. Sadness, embarrassment, annoyance, but the most prominent or them all was the anger that shot from them. That's what made her flinch. She'd seen him angry before. She'd been a source of that anger before, but this was...this was almost manic. Almost as though one too many things had been buried underneath that pale flesh of his. "I think you should leave." he said quietly looking away from her. "Now."

Angeline didn't want to be told twice so she took her leave. Turning on her squeaky heel she left the hospital wing only glancing over her shoulder once to look at Draco, only to see Madame Pomfrey fussing over him again.

* * *

The story (different depending on who told you), had spread throughout the school at record speed: Moaning Myrtle had taken it upon herself to pop up in every bathroom in the castle to tell the story; Draco had been visited in the hospital wing by Pansy, who had lost no time in vilifying the Boy Who Lived far and wide, and Snape had told the staff precisely what had happened. Angeline had been ignoring everyone as her name was dropped in here and there, but otherwise her presence was ignored. But to those that heard her name wanted to know what had happened, but she was refusing to talk. For one, she only knew how it ended. Not how it started or why, just that it had happened.

She had her own problems to worry about. Every time she would close her eyes all she could see was blood, specifically Draco coated in blood. It wouldn't go away. Despite being cleaned for hours now, she still felt as though she may never get rid of the feeling of having blood on her hands.

A part of her was beginning to think that her fascination with Draco really was making her go insane. She wished that she had listened to him months ago about leaving him alone. Then, maybe then, she'd gone to dinner with Blaise and she wouldn't have wandered to the sixth floor.

_Of all the floors!_

But was that really the problem? Or was it that she cared far too much about him and seeing him bleeding to death brought back memories of people leaving her and never coming back...

Running a shaky hand through her hair Angeline sat on the stairs leading out of the dungeons and wrapped her hands around her knees, as she tried to keep her thoughts away from what happened today, and best of all keeping away from her housemates.

"You look like you're going to be sick." Well most of them. Blaise was strolling over to her from the direction of the common room.

"If you want to know what happened you should go ask, Moaning Myrtle." Angeline said looking back to the ground.

"Malfoy had a near death experience. It was bound to happen eventually." Blaise said as he sat down beside her. "You doing alright?"

"No," Angeline answered truthfully. "I wish I could have done a little more."

"What exactly?" Blaise questioned. Angeline shrugged slightly.

"Just something. I don't think I handled it all very well. I was—"

"Useless?" Angeline looked up at the new voice, but how could she not know who it was. Pansy Parkinson had been a pain in her side since finding out what happened to Draco. "Didn't do a damn thing to help, Draco, now did you Jensen. Just let Potter do whatever he pleased."

"It wasn't like that," Angeline said. Staring at Pansy now the hatred she felt for the girl seemed to double.

"Then what was it like?" Pansy questioned as she stepped closer, Daphne and Milicent stood behind her, but Angeline didn't care much about them. "Let me guess you were the victim and there was simply nothing you could do." Angeline's hands were so clenched so tight around her legs that they hurt.

"Parkinson, what would you have done?" Blaise asked as he stood from the stair. From his tone, he Angeline could tell he didn't care in the slightest.

"A hell of a lot more than, her," Pansy said. "I would _at least_ ran to get help," Pansy continued. "Couldn't even do that, I hear. Instead you stood there and watched."

Angeline shot up off the stair. She wasn't sure what made her more angry. The fact that everything that Pansy had just said was true or that it was Pansy Parkinson the one to have said it. Probably the latter, but it was easier to hate Pansy than it was to agree with her. Especially when she was demeaning to you.

"Could have. Would have. Should have. What difference does it make?" Angeline questioned. _What's done is done..._ "I could have gotten help. I could have done a lot of things, Parkinson. I've already beat myself up about it. Why are you attacking me? What matters is that Draco is okay. He's fine."

"Yeah, no thanks to you," Pansy pressed. Angeline stepped closer despite Blaise's quiet warning. _"You'll regret whatever you do, Jensen..."_ He had said. She didn't care. "You might as well have hurt him yourself!"

Angeline stayed quiet as her fist clenched tightly at her side.

"What nothing to say, Jensen?" Pansy said. "You're just a horrible excuse of a housemate not to mention person. I bet you anything that you were ecstatic to see, Draco—" Angeline had had enough as she pulled out her wand and pointed in Pansy's pug face, sufficiently shutting her up.

"Don't you _dare_ say that," Angeline growled. "Don't you dare say I was happy to see, Draco like that. Believe it or not, I wouldn't want to see _you_ like that. And I _hate_ you." Pansy stared at her opened mouthed as though she couldn't believe what she was hearing. "What? Nothing smart to say?" Daphne and Milicent were staring at her in a way that suggested they thought she had lost her mind. In a way, Angeline felt as though she had.

The wand in Angeline's hand didn't feel right almost as though it didn't want her to use it. Sparing it a quick glance she realized it hadn't been her wand she'd pulled out, but Draco's. She'd never gotten the chance to give it back, even after she had gotten cleaned up and changed.

"Merlin," she mumbled before stowing it back in her pocket before Pansy could get a good look at it. If that happened surely nothing good would come of it. "Don't mess with me, Parkinson. You'll regret it." Angeline warned turning her back on the girl and headed back to the stairs.

"Threats are the best you can do. Threats that you won't even fulfill. You're full of it, Jensen. You don't scare me. No wonder your parents hate you so much. You're a disgrace to everything they're working for." Angeline turned around her eyes hard as she glared at Pansy. She heard Blaise curse under his breath. "You're useless, Jensen. You proved that today. When you did nothing to help Draco. _Completely useless_."

Angeline felt both her fist clench as her legs began moving at a much quicker pace than usual toward Pansy.

"_Angeline_, don't do this," Blaise said grabbing her arm. Angeline ignored him and pulled her arm free from his grip. All that mattered was Pansy and hurting her. It was far overdo. Angeline's drew back her right fist and smirked when it came in contact with Pansy pug face. Her smirk turned into a small grin when she heard a crack. She followed Pansy to the ground and hit the girl anywhere she could get her fist to connect with. Though Pansy managed to get in a few hits of her own, Angeline wasn't going to roll over and be the bigger person today, not when her hair was being pulled, not when Pansy's nails dug into her face, and not when they were pulled apart by a spell.

She tried with all her might to get out of Blaise's grip when he grabbed her around her waist as she tried to get her hands on the other girl.

"Calm the hell down. Snape is here." Blaise hissed in her ear. Immediately she stopped in her struggle as she looked at their Head of House.

_So much for staying out trouble, right, Professor? _She wanted to ask.

"What the hell is going on here?" Snape growled at her. She looked Snape in the eyes, then glanced at Pansy, who was just getting off the floor with the help of Daphne Greengrass.

"It's been a rather long day, sir." Angeline said meeting Snape's eye again. Snape's eyes narrowed.

"Someone help Miss Parkinson to the hospital wing. Seems, Miss Jensen here has broken her nose." he ordered. Angeline laughed a little. Snape glared at her. "You, Jensen. Come with me." Blaise let go of her but not before whispering; 'I told you so'. Angeline threw a look at him over her shoulder as she allowed herself to be dragged down the corridor to Snape's office.

She had been in a terrible mood before but for the time being she was in the best mood of her life. So what if her hands felt a little sore. So what if her head throbbed a little. So what if she was shaking slightly. So _what_ if she could taste the coppery flavor that was associated with blood.

_Blood..._

By the time they had reached Snape's office and Angeline was sitting in a chair in front of her Head of House's desk, she could feel her good mood rapidly leaving her.

"Explain to me," Snape glared from behind his desk. Angeline looked up at him as though just realizing he was there. "Why I leave my office to find two girls fighting like barbarians in the middle of the corridor. No less telling me one of them being you. What possessed you to attack your own housemate, Miss Jensen?"

"I don't know, sir," Angeline voice sounded thick to her ears as she looked down at her bruised and slightly blooded hands. The blood striking up images of the boys' bathroom.

"You don't know?" Snape repeated. "You're name is circling around as it is with what has happened to Draco Malfoy. Do you know what will happen if this is to get around Miss Jensen that you attacked another student?" he questioned. Angeline knew she wasn't supposed to answer, besides she was too busy trying to push Draco's bloody figure out of mind and ignoring just how upset her stomach was becoming. "In one single day you could have tarnished not only your family name, but the House of Slytherin." Angeline glared up at him this time.

"I'm positive, Slytherin himself tarnished his own house, _sir_," She spat.

"Watch your tongue," Snape said. Angeline looked away from him. "You understand, I will have to notify your parents." Angeline scoffed. Snape gave her a look and she immediately quieted. "I want you to write me an extra ten inches on your lethifold essay."

"Is that all?" Angeline mumbled.

_All Slytherins get off easy when it came to Snape..._

"Unless you'd like to spend your Saturday with Potter in detention," Snape said coldly. "That can be arranged."

"No, sir..." she said looking down at her shaking hands. "May I go now, professor? To the Hospital Wing?" she asked looking up from her hands. The dried blood reminded her of Draco...Not that she needed much reminding.

Snape studied her briefly before waving his hand dismissively. Wasting no time she stood from her seat and left the dark office. She took the steps out of the dungeons two at a time, her heart racing. She had the unsettling feeling that she would throw up at any moment.

Out of breath by the time she got to the Hospital Wing, she was grateful she didn't need to say anything when, Madame Pomfrey was by her side the moment she'd pushed the doors open.

"Slytherin's today..." Madame Pomfrey mumbled guiding her to an unoccupied bed.

* * *

Draco was fully awake though he pretended to be otherwise when the doors to the Hospital Wing opened. He had been awake (though once again he pretended to be asleep) when Pansy came in crying about how someone had broken her nose. He wasn't sure who it was that had done it but who did do it he was mentally congratulating.

"Slytherin's today..." he heard Madame Pomfrey say. Her foot steps plus those of whoever she was talking to got louder and closer to his bed. "You're looking green," she said. Draco listened to the sounds of a bottle being uncorked before a sound of the person gagging. "Never said it would taste good. Now sit still."

Draco slowly opened his eyes to slits to see who it was that Madame Pomfrey was tending to.

_Of course._ He thought dryly at seeing Angeline sitting on the edge of the bed getting her hands bandaged. Her hair was all over the place and he wondered if she knew that. Could it have been possible that she was the one that broke, Pansy's nose? It was very possible. He thought as he closed his eyes completely.

"Lay down." Madame Pomfrey commanded.

"I'm feeling much better," Angeline protested. "I can go back to the common room now."

"I'll release you in half an hour, Miss Jensen," Madame Pomfrey said. "Who knows how much trauma you're going through. Now, _lay down_." Draco knew all too well that there was no arguing when it came to Madame Pomfrey. And by the sound of the bed creaking Angeline must have known as well not to argue it anymore.

Draco listened as the medi-witch walked away and entered her office. When the door closed with a click, there was nothing but silence in the room. Five or so minutes passed before Draco heard Angeline shift on the bed. Only a few seconds before he could hear her walking toward him.

She let out a long sigh. "Whatever it was that Madame Pomfrey gave me worked...I can think about you without seeing you covered in blood. Hell, I walked in here saw you laying here and that's all I saw, you covered in blood that is. Strange how it effected me...Blood has never really bother me before, _you_ must be something _special_." she mumbled. There was a quiet scrapping of the chair that, Pansy must have left there earlier. "Oh, I brought you something," Angeline said. "Your wand to specific. I meant to give it to you earlier today, but...Well you'll have it when you wake up or rather when you stop pretending to be asleep."

Draco mentally cursed before he opened his eyes to glare at her. She was sitting in the chair like he thought, holding his wand out to him. He took it from her as he lifted himself into a sitting position.

"You're welcome," she said dryly. Draco scoffed giving no other comment. "Nearly used it on your girlfriend." Angeline said leaning back in her chair. "However, punching her was far more satisfying..."

"You are aware I don't care," Draco said finally caving into talking to her.

"Of course," Angeline replied her green eyes darting to Madame Pomfrey's office where they stayed. "How are you feeling?"

"Breathing aren't I?" he questioned seriously. Angeline breathed out a small laugh as she shook her head slightly. "Why's that funny to you?"

"Sorry," she said. "I'm just glad you're okay. It's been—"

"A long day," Draco finished resting his head back, he knew his eyes must have gone far off, because she was looking at him curiously now.

"I know you hate me—" she began.

"I don't _hate_ you, Jensen," Draco said looking at her. She seemed taken aback by this. "You're just an annoying pain in my arse." Draco watched as she smiled a little at this and despite everything that happened to him in one single day he smirked.

"Fine," she said. "I know you find me to be an _annoying pain in _your _arse_, but I wanted to say that I'm sorry..." Draco raised an eyebrow at her.

"For?" he prompted.

"I'm sorry for everything I suppose. For just being so _annoying_ and _infuriating_ all the time..."

Draco studied her face for what seemed like for hours. He found that she was being sincere in her apology. He shook his head in disbelief.

"You're apologizing for being who you are? You can't change that with an apology. My bet is that you'll always be annoying."

"You'll probably win that bet." she said standing up. "Anyway, I think you were right in saying I should leave you alone..."

_Was I now? How?_ He wanted to ask, but he didn't need to.

"I think I'll leave you alone...for real. You go on doing whatever it is you're doing and I'll just wait for the day when I can finally leave." she moved the chair back and sat upon the bed that Madame Pomfrey had guided her to. "We'll drive ourselves mad if we continue to bounce between wanting to rip one each other's head off and getting along like we're friends."

"Are you afraid of something?" It was the second time he'd asked her this. Unlike the last time she seemed to think before she answered. He really was curious to know what scared her, but if she was really a true Slytherin, she'd never let him know what that was.

"I'm just tired, Draco," she said finally. But Draco could see through her lie. The way her eyes darted to another side of the room and the way she played with her hands. Lie. "Aren't you?"

He wasn't sure how to answer her. Of course he was tired. He was tired of working on the Vanishing Cabinet. He was tired of having sleepless nights, if that made sense. He was tired of worrying about his family. He was tired of his life. Not in the way he wanted it to end, but the things he went through. They just _didn't_ happen to Malfoys...

But Draco found that he didn't have to answer her. Madame Pomfrey had exited her office.

"Mr. Malfoy what do you think you're doing up?" She questioned in her usual matron tone. Draco laid down without arguing for once. "Better," the nurse said before turning to Angeline. "And _you_, didn't I tell you to lay down?"

"I'm sorry," Angeline said. "But really I'm feeling fine. May I go?" Draco watched as the medi-witch ran her wand over Angeline and giving her a bottle of some sort of potion, _'just in case'_, Draco heard her say before she had given her the okay to return to the common room. Angeline jumped down from the bed as Madame Pomfrey went back to her office.

"G'night. Here's to leaving you be." she said with a small nod before turning on her heel and heading toward the exit. She'd said that many times before that she'd leave him alone and when she said it then, she was lying. Then Draco didn't believe her. But now...he knew she meant it when she said she wouldn't bother him anymore. And he didn't like it. He didn't like that she said it, and _meant_ it. He watched he go waiting for her to turn around or to look over her shoulder with that grin of hers that said otherwise. But here he lay staring at nothing but her back and before long, just the wooden doors she had closed behind her.

* * *

**Once again, I chickened out on that kiss and pushed them even more apart. This isn't the end, so it's bound to happen. Promise. haha. But hey! At least, Angeline finally punched Pansy! Right? haha. XD  
**

**Questions (out of curiosity):  
1) What do _you_ think Angeline is afraid of? It was hinted to. But I want to know what you think! :)**

**2) What Hogwarts house do you belong to? (I've taken lots of test, most of which say, Slytherin or Hufflepuff...very curious isn't it...)  
**

**Anyway, I go back to school soon. Boo! Oh well, knowledge is power...Or so I've heard. ;)  
**

**Review por favor! Help me reach 100 reviews! ^_^  
**

**Much Love,****  
TR  
**


	13. Chapter 13

**Oh wow! 100+ reviews! Thanks you guys! And they were all so nice. You have no idea how much you make my day or how much your continued support warms my heart! **

**Thank you to;** **_Ashley Rose Everdeen Malfoy, L.A.H.H, vampire-angel1996, carpe-diem-1299, xXxCastielxXx, xXMizz Alec VolturiXx, I want a fez, xxRiotChan, Javelon, LemonLime165_, _LuvTaylor01, _and ****_Purplecow_** **for reviewing!**

**And thanks to those that added my story to their alerts or favorites! :)**

**Read on: Chapter 13  
**

**Disclaimer:** Roses are red, violets are blue...Turns out, I'm not a poet. JK Rowling is the genius to this world. I'm just on a long Holiday visit.

* * *

It was early Saturday morning, three days after his incident, that Draco awoke from another nightmare. It was good to know that in this one, the Dark Lord killed him quickly and didn't pull the flesh from his bones piece by piece.

Still, dreaming of his death certainly wasn't pleasant. Especially when he could have died just three days earlier, by the hands of the Dark Lord's nemesis no less.

Draco ran a hand down his face as he sat up. He could hear, Crabbe and Goyle's snores and wondered how he had managed to go six years sharing a dorm with them. They were big. They were loud. They were _smelly_.

But they were his family approved, _friends_. There wasn't any shaking them off. He was stuck with them. The upside was that they were easy to boss around.

_Though Crabbe is beginning to be a problem..._

Draco sighed as he pulled back the curtain of his bed to see that, Blaise Zabini was already up reading a book by the light of his wand. Draco squinted against the light, though how little it was.

"Morning," Blaise said without looking away from his book. Draco had never really had a problem with Blaise. He wasn't someone he would necessarily call a _friend_, he was sure Blaise would have said the same. When Blaise didn't have his nose turned up at you, Draco found he was suitable company. Don't get him wrong though, he and Blaise have had their fair share of arguments.

Draco found it odd that they weren't friends, yet Blaise was somehow Angeline's closest friend. He wasn't even sure they considered themselves that at all. Draco knew that they seemed to frustrate the hell out of each other. Angeline would say something, Blaise would roll his eyes and say something that usually led Angeline to roll her own eyes and retaliate in someway. A burning within, Draco made him hate that...

"Morning," Draco said finally as he stood from his bed and went to his truck to grab clothes and change.

"I'm surprise you're even in here at this hour," Blaise voice floated to him. Draco peered at him from around his bed once he was successfully changed. Blaise glanced over the top of his book at him _almost_ curiously.

"It's seven in the morning," Draco said. Blaise shrugged slightly.

"That's my point. You're usually gone by now or you never returned."

"You care, why?" Draco questioned as he closed his trunk. Blaise scoffed.

"I don't, Malfoy," Blaise said. "I'm not, Jensen," he added snapping his book shut.

"What does she have to do with anything?"

Blaise lit the lamp by his bed and distinguished his wand as he swung his legs over the side of his bed as Draco sat upon his own. "She worries and for some bloody reason she cares about you," he said. "A lot more than I suspect she would like to admit."

"She told you this?" Draco asked. Angeline didn't tell anyone anything just to hear herself talk. She preferred to figure out other people, just for the sake of not talking about herself. But Draco felt like he knew far too much about her. Things he noticed that others hadn't. She _told him_ things simply because some part of her trusted him. Perhaps there were things that he did miss, things that she told Blaise. And that annoyed Draco more than anything.

"Of course not," Blaise said. "It's written all over her face. You have some effect on her apparently."

"I have an effect on her?" Draco asked crossing his arms over his chest. "I don't see why _you_ are telling me any of this. You think I haven't noticed how she is? _I_ don't care if she _cares_ or what she thinks about me. Because I _don't_ care about her."

Blaise shrugged for the second time as he stood from his bed, throwing the book onto his pillow. But Draco didn't missed the smug look that appeared on his face. _What's that for?_ "You know," Blaise began as he crossed the room to the door. "She said the same thing, about not caring. You really aren't that much different from one another. _Both_ of you scared."

Before Draco could retort Blaise was out the door and gone. Which was just as well, because Draco realized for the first time he had been for a loss of words.

_"You and I are no different, Draco." _

Draco cringed as Angeline's voice echoed into his head. What did she or Blaise know anyway? They were plenty different. She was destined to defy her parents. He was destined to follow in his father's footsteps. She was _too_ kind. He was a bully. She was persistent...well...so was he if not just a little bit more.

They _were_ different. _She_ was different. And that was what intrigued him the most about her.

_You shouldn't be thinking about someone you don't care about..._

Suppressing a growl he grabbed his wand from with-under his pillow and stowed it in his pocket, and left the room. On his way out, he revoked his initial thought about Blaise Zabini...He was no longer suitable company, just another nuisance he'd have to put up with for just a little while longer.

It was after all, it was Blaise's fault she was even on his mind at all.

* * *

Angeline groaned and threw her quill down on to the table. She sat in the library writing her, extra ten inches Lethifold essay for Snape, only seven more inches to fill. Despite not getting detention she still found it unfair, she'd rather have had detention in truth. She'd even clean trophies with out magic. Perhaps she should have did a little more than punch Pansy a few times, maybe claw her eyes out for one and break more than her nose. Angeline shook head of the morbid thoughts.

_What's wrong with you? Since when have you _tried_ to hurt someone intentionally?__  
_

To distract herself, Angeline looked out the window and stared at the clear blue sky, liking how nice it must have been out. From her seat she could hear the commentary of the Quidditch Final. At last minute she had decided not to go down to watch the game. She hadn't been in the mood to watch, Ravenclaw lose to Gryffindor.

It was going to happen, with Harry Potter or not. This was the year of the Lion...

"Demelza Robins of Gryffindor, scores! 200 Gryffindor!"

_Point proven._ Angeline thought looking away from the window. Running a hand through her hair she packed up her unfinished essay and material back into her bag. There was no point in her working any longer, she didn't have the attention span.

Hefting her bag onto her shoulder she left the Library, with every intention of going back to the common room, in hopes of going to her room and getting some type of sleep. She knew however that there would be no use. Draco still managed to stay in every one of her thoughts.

She couldn't get away from him.

People were constantly bringing him up.

He was on her mind. In her dreams. In her classes (though she couldn't help that one).

Angeline turned the corner only to fall backwards and hit the ground with a hard _thud_. She looked up through her hair at what or who she had ran into.

_And he is also directly in front of me._ She said staring up at the very wizard she had been avoiding for three days. Three _excruciating_ days. She hated herself on how much she really missed his company. She hated herself more on how she seemed to depend on it.

Draco coughed "It's entirely your fault, I'm looking past that and being a gentleman and offering help, the least you could do is accept it." Angeline realized he had offered her his hand. After a seconds hesitation she placed her hand in his and allowed him to help her up. She let go of his hand immediately once she had gained balance.

"Thanks," she mumbled as she brushed herself off just so she didn't have to meet his eye and walked around him to continue her walk back to the Common Room. But the sound of his foot steps made her realize he wasn't walking in the other direction but he was still behind her. She turned and met his eye this time. "Can I help you with something?" She asked.

Draco stopped in front of her and shrugged nonchalantly. "I'm going to the Common Room, Jensen. Is that suddenly a crime?" Angeline looked him over. He was as pale as ever. Not as pale as he had been when she was talking to him in the Hospital. Meeting his eyes, she thought she saw something she hadn't seen in his gray eyes in months. Joy.

_What's he got to be so happy about?_

"Funny, because I swear you were going the other way," she said turning away from him and walking away.

"You act like I can't change my mind," Draco said falling into sync with her with no effort at all.

"It's just that, I can't leave you alone if you're by my side," Angeline said glancing over at him. Draco rolled his eyes. "What?"

"I don't understand why you suddenly want to give me what I want."

"You're ungrateful as ever." Angeline mumbled. "How about this, you leave me alone."

They both stopped at the staircase they were standing on began to shift. At the same time they turned and faced one another. Angeline felt they were far too close, and she was proven right when Draco reached over and lifted a strand of her wavy hair off her shoulder. She watched in shocked silence as he stared at it and played with it between his fingers.

"I wouldn't say, _ungrateful_. I'm plenty grateful. I've been thinking lately and I'm curious as to why you run away from things." Draco said thoughtfully as he began to twirl the hair around his finger. He looked away from the hair he was twirling and into her face. Apparently he saw something on her face because he smirked. "You don't fool me, Angeline Jensen." he said unwinding the tress and letting it fall back on her shoulder. At exactly the same moment the stairs stopped moving.

"W-what are you talking about?" she stammered, but Draco was already heading down the stairs. Angeline followed at a much slower rate after him because one of their few schoolmates not at the game was heading up the stairs. She caught up to him on the landing and waited for him to answer. She knew he heard her question. "Do I have to speak to you in French for you to answer me, Malfoy?" she questioned.

Draco looked at her briefly. "_Vous savez le français?_" he questioned. Angeline glared at him.

"Of course I know French. We only had the same tutor..."

"Yes, and you were terrible," Draco said not looking at her. Out of frustration a string of profanity flew from her mouth, all French. Draco looked at her, an eyebrow raised. "Impressive. But I'm sure our tutor didn't teach us _that_." he stated. Angeline rolled her eyes.

Three days. She had been doing so well for _three days_. And three _minutes_ set her back. Because Draco Malfoy was the biggest and hardest puzzle to ever be laid out in front of her. And the more she thought she had him figured out, the more layers she found, the more turns she had to take. And she _loved_ every single minute of it, even though she knew he _hated _it. Though the more she knew, the more he would close up, and the more she just wanted him to be okay. For she knew under that thick mask of his, he was hurting, he was in pain...Why did she care so _bloody_ much? Why did she have to keep going back for more?

He was a Malfoy. He was a Slytherin...He'd cut her up without hesitation.

Well damn it, she was a Jensen. And she was a Slytherin too, no matter how much she hated it. There was a reason she was put there.

And that's why she went back for more...Stereotypes. There was another Draco under all that. He was more than just a Malfoy or a Slytherin. She knew this, because she was the same, she was more than a Jensen and she was way more than a Slytherin. That's why she kept digging. That's why she enjoyed his company when he wasn't around others. That's (part of) why she had to stop...and cut ties with him...because in the end, he'd be _gone_ just like everyone else she cared for...Then where would she be?

"Malfoy," she began as they reached the entrance to the Common Room.

"What?"

Angeline looked over at him. "What did you mean about, me not fooling you?" Draco looked thoughtful again.

"You just don't," he said before he spoke the password and the entered the Common Room. Angeline sighed and followed.

She took one giant step three days ago...and here she was two steps back. Facing the same problem she had before.

How to stop thinking about Draco Malfoy. And more importantly how to stop _caring_ about Draco Malfoy.

_He's always going to be on your mind...Who are you fooling, Angeline?_ She questioned herself with a small sigh. _Apparently no one...Not Draco and definitely not yourself. No matter how hard you try._

But realization hit her as she sat herself down onto her bed, Draco didn't fool her either. No matter how many layers or how thick his mask was...he wasn't fooling her. Not completely anyway. _  
_

* * *

Draco was in a pleasurable mood when he had bumped into Angeline, or rather when she had bumped into him, earlier during the Saturday afternoon. It wasn't because he was happy to see her, no, she was probably the last person he wanted to see at that moment. The reason he had in a wonderful mood was because of the Vanishing Cabinet. It was working.

Well, it was working far better than it had been say, a week ago. He had placed an apple into the cabinet, the apple disappeared and reappeared seven out of the ten times without returning with chunks of it missing. It was a huge improvement. Now all he need it to do was to get it to work continuously without it having the apple reappear with chunks missing.

But it didn't explain why he'd teased the end of her hair while they waited for the staircase to stop moving. He didn't know why he had done it either to be honest. It just happened and he let it go. Still, he didn't regret running into her and having that short conversation with her. If anything it actually heightened his good mood.

As Draco sat in the Great Hall pushing the food on his plate around, he wondered why he did these things to himself. Angeline was giving him what he wanted, yet he goes and grabs her attention. Knowing full well she'll seek out the answers.

_It's because without her, you're just a tad bit crazier._

Not true, he told himself. He didn't need her. He didn't need anyone. And that too wasn't the complete truth.

"Draco, why are you so quiet?" He definitely didn't need, Pansy.

"Thinking," Draco replied glancing at her. Angeline had did a number on Pansy's face. Though her broken nose had been mended nothing could be done about the bruising that ran down the side of her nose or the bruise under her right eye.

"About what?" Pansy asked. Draco glared at her. He would _never_ hit anyone of the female species, but he definitely thought that Pansy's left eye could use a little bruising. He wondered if Angeline took payments...

"Things," Draco responded. Only to get a pout out of Pansy.

"You never talk to me anymore," Pansy complained. "You don't tell me anything. And you're always too busy doing other things. Then when you're not busy, you still don't have any time for me." Draco rolled his eyes and was about to retort when someone scoffed. He and Pansy both looked at the source. Sitting on Pansy's side of the table on the opposite side of Daphne Greengrass, Angeline sat there, Blaise sitting across from her next to Goyle. "Got something to say, Jensen?" Pansy questioned threateningly. Draco pondered at how threatened Angeline felt, by the look that was on her face he would say not at all. Besides how threatened could she be, when she knew very well she could just hit her again.

"Not really, Parkinson," Angeline said. "Just couldn't help overhearing your rant. You're pathetic when it comes down to it. Pathetic Pansy Parkinson is what they should call you." Blaise failed to hide his chuckle.

"What did you say?" Pansy asked leaning around Daphne. The latter looked extremely uncomfortable.

"I just think you're delusional is all. Is it really that hard for you to see that he doesn't want anything to do with you?" Angeline asked. "Save yourself some heartache and let him be."

"You're one to talk. You're jealous as always at what I have with Draco." Angeline rolled her eyes and before they rested on Draco. Draco wondered what she was searching for as her green eyes searched his gray ones.

"Forget it, you're right." she said her eyes slid back to look at Pansy. "I'm jealous of your one-sided relationship." she added with a small eye roll. "And forgive me for questioning the _love_ you have for one another." she said bitingly. And with that she turned back to the food on her plate that she had somehow turned to mush.

Pansy had turn red in the face as she opened her mouth.

"Oh, Pansy, let it go." Daphne pleaded pushing the girl back into her seat. "Don't let her get you so worked up. It's what she wants." If Angeline was listening, she made no indication that she was.

Draco turned back to pushing things around his plate. Tension hanging in the air, no one around them talking at all.

"You care about me, right, Draco?" Pansy questioned only a few seconds later. Draco met her stare with a hard glare, the girl flinched and leaned back. "Never mind," she squeaked and sat back.

Pushing his plate away, Draco stood and left the Great Hall, fully aware that he was being watched on his way out. Not that he gave a damn.

* * *

A few weeks had passed when Draco had practically holed himself in the Room of Requirements. But the result was the same as it had been a few weeks prior and the elation he had felt before was gone. It was late as he left the Room and was on his way back to the Common Room. As tired as he was he wasn't at all in the mood to sleep. How could he sleep when he literally had only four weeks before the end of the term? He was a good as dead if he didn't get it finished within the next two weeks...

Upon reaching the bare-wall that served as the entrance into the Slytherin Common Room. Draco couldn't go in. He figured if he was going to stay awake he might as stay awake somewhere else. He turned on his heel and started for the disused classroom down the hall.

Opening the door, he was surprised to see Angeline sitting on one of the desk her legs swinging back an forward, she was shooting small sparks of different colors from the end of her wand. He was shocked to see her there because for the last month she hadn't been in the room. She hadn't heard him come in, and as the door closed behind him, she jumped before she composed herself and she stared at him curiously.

"I can leave," she said. "If you want to be alone." Draco simply shook his head. He actually _didn't_ want to be alone. Angeline shrugged and continued to shoot sparks. Green then blue. Purple and orange.

Draco leaned against the desk opposite her and continued to watch as she shot sparks of many colors. He wondered how long she would keep it up before she became bored with it. Or rather how long she had been in the room idly playing with different sparks.

"Do you care about her?" she asked suddenly. The sparks hadn't stopped as she questioned him.

"About who?" Angeline rolled her eyes.

"Pansy," she stated as though obvious.

"No," he answered honestly.

"Did you ever?" Angeline asked.

"What does it matter to you?" he questioned. "You don't even like her."

"It doesn't matter if I like her or not. I just asked you a question." Draco studied her before he looked out the window behind her. The moon was shining bright through it giving them more than enough light.

"No," he finally answered.

"You say it with such ease..." Angeline commented. "Why not tell her to her face then when she asked you?"

"Regardless she'd still be all over me." Draco answered. Angeline nodded but said no more. They sat in silence again, Angeline had gone back to her color show her mind off somewhere else. He pondered on where her mind usually went when she was like this. Most often than not there was twinge of sadness that hung over her.

"I'm determined to leave you alone...yet I'm determined to know more about you." she said suddenly. "I've created a paradox." She said with a small laugh.

"I'm not helping," Draco stated.

"You're right about that," she mumbled. "It's completely maddening all of this." They stared at each other before Angeline looked away. "Our...so called _friendship_ is a paradox as well..."

Draco didn't agree with her out loud. But he knew she was right. They were constantly like this. It was as though they couldn't stay away from each other no matter how much they both seemed to know they should.

"Are you suggesting we find a middle ground?" Draco asked. Angeline stopped her color show and raised her eyebrow at him.

"I don't think that exist when it comes to us." she said. Draco shrugged. "But name your terms."

"You have to leave me alone when I tell you to. We can't act like we like each other." Angeline smiled at his terms. But before she could agree of disagree they both heard the sound of what sounded like footsteps and voices.

"We should probably hide..." she suggested jumping from the desk. She glanced around the room before her eyes landed on something. She sighed and Draco thought he heard what sounded like a curse before she grabbed his hand. "Come on," she said dragging him toward what looked like a small supply closest. She opened the door and they both coughed as dust flew onto both of them."In to the closet, Malfoy." she commanded. Draco turned his nose up at her.

"It's filthy."

Angeline growled as she pushed him in to the small area and stepped in after him. She pulled the door closed just as the door to the classroom opened.

"You're standing on my foot," Draco hissed. In the complete dark Angeline reached up and placed her hand over his mouth. As un-Malfoy like as it was he was tempted to bite her. She instantly stepped on his foot harder as though in warning.

"I was sure there was someone in here," the voice was unrecognizable to Draco's ear, so he was sure it was prefect. Draco could hear the prefect walking around the room looking for anything out of place. He had stopped directly in front of the closet and Draco felt Angeline tense against him. "I guess not," the prefect mumbled. There were more footsteps and then the soft click of the door closing.

Angeline relaxed and dropped her hand from his mouth. Draco hadn't realized just how close they were until then. He could feel her breathing. "Stay still," she said pushing on the closet door. It didn't budge.

"Great," Draco drawled. "You manged to get us stuck."

"Oh yes, you're quite welcome, Draco." she retorted dryly. Draco could barely move his arms, which he had wrapped around her waist. There was no way he was going to be able to get his wand out of his pocket.

"Jensen, give me your wand," he said.

"I'm capable of opening a door," she shot at him. Draco rolled his eyes in the dark.

"Then do it," he snapped back. "And stop standing on my bloody foot!" A pain shot up his foot as she pressed as much weight as she could onto it.

Angeline fidgeted slightly before she stopped. Draco could tell her wand was pointed at the door, and before he knew it the door flew open and both of them tumbled out of it in a tangle of limbs.

"Ow," Draco said. Coughing as Angeline had fallen onto him. She was shaking and hadn't moved to get up. "It was just a fall, Jensen. Are you really crying?" That's when he heard her laugh. She half lifted herself to look at him, not rolling off of him or attempting to get up.

"Broken my fall once again," she said. She had a bit of dirt on her cheek and flecks of it throughout her hair. "Draco Malfoy, useful. The _Daily Prophet_ needs to know about this."

"Shut up," Draco said laying his head back onto the hard floor. He was already dirty from the closet what did it matter? Angeline laughed again but still made no move to get up, Draco let her be. She moved a little but she didn't get up. She had calmed herself and pocketed her wand before looking down at him only to giggle.

"If you could see yourself," she said with a big grin.

"You're one to talk," Draco replied but a smirk had graced his lips before he chuckled slightly. "This isn't how I wanted to spend my night."

"What do you mean? With me?" she asked. "Oddly enough...I wasn't expecting to be with you."

Draco shrugged under her. At that moment she shifted again and his gray eyes met her green ones. Draco wasn't sure which of them moved forward all he was sure of was that her lips were touching his. And before he could really register what was really happening she pulled away, panic flashing through her eyes.

"That shouldn't have happened," she whispered softly. "Why did that happen?" she asked. Draco could only stare at her. She seemed to be having some sort of internal battle with herself. As though compelled by some outside force, Draco reached up and touched her cheek softly, just where the dirt was. Angeline froze at his touch. His hand trailed down to her chin and he tilted it back down slightly toward him. She was still having that internal battle with herself, but Draco ignored it and pressed his lips to hers.

Her body stiffened automatically, but Draco knew all too well how to wane her or any girl into relaxing. He was curious, and this was a side of Angeline he was very curious about at the moment. He tasted her gently, his lips moving slowly against hers. It surprised him how _quickly_ she seemed to relax. He teased her lips with his, undemanding, tender...things that weren't associated with Malfoys... With a soft sigh it seemed as though her walls were coming down and before he knew it her hands were no longer resting on his chest, but around his neck pulling him from the floor and closer to her.

He deepened the kiss, teasing her mouth open and sliding his tongue inside to touch hers lightly. Angeline inhaled sharply and yanked at his hair. Draco couldn't help but smirk against her mouth, she apparently didn't like surprises. He sucked, nibbled, and tasted every part of her mouth; her lips, her tongue, her teeth. What shocked him the most was at how unyielding she was. He knew she wanted dominance by the way she continued to yank at his hair, and the way she bit his lip, but he wouldn't give it to her. He wasn't sure when it had happened but one of his own hands was tangled in her dark tresses, and he tugged when she would jerk.

Almost too soon, Draco thought, she pulled away panting for air. She untangled herself from him, pulling his hand from her hair a lot rougher than she probably intended. Her green eyes searched his again as she tried to put some distance between them, he wondered if she was seeing the he was seeing in hers. Lust, confusion...anxiety.

His heart was pounding far more than he thought it should have been. He didn't understand at all what had just happened, let alone why he continued it the he did.

"_That_ shouldn't have happened," she said breathlessly once her back had hit leg of the desk. Her chest rose up and down as she tried to get her breathing under control. Merlin knows he was having trouble doing so. "We—We _can't._ You shouldn't have kissed me, Draco!"

"You kissed me back, Angeline," Draco replied leaning his back against the desk across hers. Angeline closed her eyes briefly as she ran a hand through her hair only to wince slightly when she caught a tangle.

"It just _shouldn't have_ happened," she said weakly. "You're messing with me, aren't you?"

"Hardly," Draco said.

"Then why'd it happen?" Angeline snapped. "That can't happen again!"

"Who said it would," Draco snapped back. Angeline lowered her head into her hands.

"You make my life so difficult," she said through her hands. Draco scoffed.

"Really and how's that?" Draco questioned. He was tired of playing all these games with her. She was the most complicated person he knew. But then again she would probably say the same thing about him.

"By just being you," she said raising her head and resting it on her knees. "That...that kiss was..."

"Amazing?" Draco suggested smugly. "I get that a lot," he added. She glared at him.

"I can't do this with you. I can't pretend I—" she broke off and clenched her eyes and fist closed. "I can't be like you and just kiss someone, like _that_ and say it means nothing." Draco watched her as she seemed to be beating herself up whatever it was she had been battling with, prior to him kissing her and the fear he had seen many times before seemed to be ten times as evident.

"So are you going to tell me?" Draco questioned. Angeline met his gaze slowly in question. "About what you're afraid of. I told you, you couldn't fool me, Angeline...It's written all over your face."

"I'm not scared," she threw at him.

"I think you should share," Draco prompted. "I mean we've just shared our tongues." She glared at him again. "So what are you scared of?"

"Nothing," she said.

"Yes you are," Draco couldn't help but be reminded of their childhood together when they would argue over silly little things. Only difference, this wasn't very silly. His heart still hadn't gone back to a normal beat, nor could he get the feel of her lips moving against his to go away. Was it wrong that he wanted to kiss her again, though every fiber of his being was screaming for him to let it go. That it was a one time thing.

_In your situation...yes, it is a bad thing._

"I'm not scared. I'm bloody _terrified_!" she said.

"Of what?" Draco questioned. He watched in slight amusement as both her hands were on the side of her head pulling her hair in frustration. She had apparently said too much, she took a deep breath and straightened up. Determination was suddenly set on her face.

"You first," she challenged. "What's got you scared?" Draco was thrown off. He should have seen it coming. She knew how to get him to stop asking. It was to get him to answer the same exact question first. And had it been any other time...she would have won.

"Death," he answered. It wasn't a lie, but it wasn't the complete truth. If it had been anyone else other than her, they would have left it at that but she just stared at him, challenging him to try again. "That's it, Angeline. Death."

"You keep calling me, Angeline..." she mumbled. Draco blinked. Had he really?

"It's your name," he stated slowly as though talking to a child.

"I know, it's just strange for you to use so many times." she said. Draco continued to watch her. Was this her attempt to change subject. If she had been talking to anyone other than him, it might have worked.

"What are you scared of?" he asked again. "I've told you, now it's your turn to enlighten me." Draco said.

"I can't tell you," she said. Draco saw that her eyes had glazed over with unshed tears and memories. But she was stubborn and wouldn't let them fall. "I can't tell you." she repeated.

"Be fair," he said. She growled as she looked at him.

"Since when have Slytherin's been fair?" she questioned him. "Every single person I have ever cared about has left me for some reason or another. The people that make me happy leave me the most upset. They end up leaving me alone..."

Draco considered her as she seemed to fight to keep the memories away and to keep those tears as nothing but glassy shields. "So which are you more afraid of. Caring for people, or being alone?" he asked quietly.

"Caring for people," she whispered. "Which is why I can't _possibly_ have anything to do with you. I can't care. If I care, you leave and I'm left wondering what if and where are you and why was I so stupid to have trusted you. I'll trust you more than I should and you'll take that trust and rip it to pieces. I know that much about you. It's not even _you_ specifically...it's from experience I suppose." Draco knew she was right. He would do something that would defy her trust. Hell wasn't he already doing that? Angeline already had so much trust in him, that he suddenly felt sick with himself.

_She won't want anything to do with me when my mission is done...but she's somehow important enough to me for me to..._

"Then don't care." Draco said suddenly. Angeline laughed, no real humor to it.

"That's the thing, I've tried!" she said.

"Try harder," he retorted. Angeline rested her head against the desk her eyes never leaving his.

"Why do you care?" she questioned.

"That's the thing...I don't."

She seemed to be thinking things over as she ran her hand through her hair, again catching a tangle. "It's too late though...I already do care about you..." she admitted grudgingly. Draco leaned his head against the desk keeping his eyes trained on her.

"Well then...Don't get attached to me."

_That might be too late too...I already feel like__—_He cut the thought of short as she spoke again.

"Don't get attached...Our middle ground, huh?" she questioned lightly.

"Our middle ground." he repeated closing his eyes trying to get his heart to stop beating as fast as it was...this couldn't have been normal...

_What would your father say?  
_

* * *

**It's been done. The kiss has happened. And their both confused as to what happened. Hell I would be to if I suddenly had a full blown snog-fest with someone I shouldn't be having said snog-fest with. ;) I hoped you liked it. I told you it was going to happen, just needed patience and here it is. I liked the kiss a lot, but it didn't really bring them close did it? I sort of left it hanging. What will they do? I'm good at keeping them apart. But I can't just put them together and be done with it. Their sixteen verging on seventeen...Emotions are tricky...**

**Quick Note: it's late May at the end of this chapter. So it's about, May 28th, 1997. Just to give a little timeline.  
**

**Question of the Chapter:  
1) Where do you think is up ahead?  
**

**2) What do you think Lucius Malfoy would say if he knew what Draco was doing with Angeline right now?**

**Review?**

**Take care,  
TR  
**


	14. Chapter 14

**You ****are**** all**** so**** amazing****. ****There**** isn****'****t**** any**** other ****way ****to ****put**** it****.**

**Thank**** you ****to****;** _**carpe**__**-**__**diem**__**-1299, **__**vampire**__**-**__**angel**__**1996, **__**xXMizz**__**Alec**__**VolturiXx**__**, **__**HunterofArtemis**__**1136, **__**Nicky**__**-**__**Maree**__**, **__**Purplecow**__**, **__**xXxCastielxXx**__**,**_ **and** _**XxRiotChan**_ **for**** reviewing****.**

**Also ****a ****big**** thank**** you ****to ****everyone**** that**** added ****this**** story**** to**** their**** alerts**** or**** favorites****. :)**

**I****'****ll**** apologize**** now**** for**** taking**** so ****long**** to ****update****. ****I ****never ****meant ****to**** take**** so**** long****! ****I**** hope**** you**** enjoy ****the**** chapter****!**

**Disclaimer****:** Just an aspiring writer, visiting the world that JK Rowling created.

* * *

It was the third of June on a beautifully warm day, when Angeline sat out by the Great Lake, soaking in the rays of the sun. But her mind wasn't on how wonderful the sun felt on her face, nor did she pay much attention to the fact that it was indeed a nice day. For all she cared lightning could have struck, she probably still would have been outside. The weather was irrelevant to her real train of thought.

Those thoughts had been one one thing and one thing only... How was it possible to feel as though you're on fire yet feel so cold all at the same time? It was such a curious sensation. One she had never experienced until she kissed Draco Malfoy...or was it he kissed her?

What did it matter? _They_ kissed.

She had kissed only two boys prior to Draco...and well, she could honestly say that her kiss with Draco was most definitely the best she had ever experienced in her young life. Draco had talent...She scowled at her thought, there was no way she would _ever_ let him know that. His ego was big enough as it was.

Angeline pushed her hair out of her face as she glanced over the calm waters of the Lake. She wished her heart was calm when she was in his presence, but alas, it wasn't. He did something to her and she didn't like it. And by the looks of things, she hadn't done a single thing to him.

However, he could just be a far better actor of the two.

With that said, Angeline didn't exactly want to find out if it were true. She took extra precaution because she didn't trust herself. She didn't trust that her face or her body language wouldn't give her away. So she stayed in the common room, because Draco was never there anymore, the Common Room was her definite safe zone. And there was _that_ classroom, she avoided _it_ by all means necessary.

She knew she couldn't avoid him forever, but she sure as hell could try.

_Bloody__ coward__._ She scoffed, she had every right to be afraid to be alone with him. He was Draco _Bloody_ Malfoy after all. Not that she was afraid of him. No, she was very well hold her own against him. She was sure of it. It was just that he made her world tip a little to one side. Mentally, it was hard for her to keep her balance around him. Merlin did she hate him for that.

It was one of the top five rules in the unofficial Slytherin handbook; _'__never__ let__ anyone__, __especially__ another__ Slytherin__, __make__ you __feel__ as__ though__ you__'__re__ at__ the__ disadvantage__. __You__ must __have __the __advantage __even__ when __you__ don__'__t__.'_

That was the only rule she agreed with, and it angered her to know she was failing miserable at it.

"Damn him," she mumbled. "Just suck it up, Angeline," she told herself. "Get a hold of yourself. You can pretend just as well as he can. You've been pretending for years. This isn't any different, it's just a matter of pretending it never happened...Yeah, it never happened..." Her self motivation speech was cut short when the bell signaling the move to the next class rang in the distance. Blowing at the loose strands of hair that fell into her face, she picked herself and her bag up from the ground. She followed her fellow schoolmates with a stronger boost in confidence than she had, had in days.

* * *

Draco tapped his finger against the table top as he pretended to pay attention to what Flitwick was going on about...Something about turning vinegar to wine and how it was a cross between Charms and Transfiguration. Draco hadn't found the lesson to be intriguing in the slightest, if he wanted wine, he'd simply just call for it.

What had been intriguing was _her_. Draco had told himself numerous times that he shouldn't pay attention to anything she did. But how could he not, the Vanishing Cabinet was working smoothly for the most part with only a few hiccups here and there. It was only a short matter of time before it was working one hundred percent, he could _feel_ it. So what did it matter if he let her take most of his attention during lessons.

There she was sitting in the row just below his drawing circles with the occasional squiggle on the side of her parchment as she pretended to listen to every word Flitwick spoke. Her doodling stopped and she set her quill down as she heaved a sigh and ran a hand through her hair. _One__._ Draco counted mentally. Draco had noted long ago how she ran her hand through her hair when she was thinking about things that frustrated her. More so when she was around people that made her uncomfortable, more so around him. Anyone that didn't know her would have just assumed she was doing it to get the hair out of her face or just out of habit of something to do. Draco knew better.

_You __make __it__ sound __like__ you __know__ her__..._Draco's inner voice commented snidely, causing Draco to frown at it. He knew her well enough. As well as he wanted to know her that is.

He knew a lot more about her than he would have liked to admit that was for sure.

Like the way her nose crinkled when she tried not to laugh. How her fist would clenched when she was angry. Or that mischievous twinkle she would get in her eyes more often than she should, deep down just looking for something fun.

Draco shook his head. Those were silly little things he knew about her. Silly little things that most people would overlook, because those things don't matter. So why did he know them? It worried him that he could name five more without much thought at all.

What had she done to him?

Whatever it was, Draco didn't like it one bit.

But what was he supposed to do about it?

_"__Don__'__t__ get __attached__."_

The irony should have made him laugh, but Draco didn't find it humorous in the least. In front of him, Angeline ran her hand through her hair. _Two__._ Draco thought instantly. He shook his head and ran his hand through his own hair.

This was not healthy.

For a Malfoy at least. For any bloke to be honest.

_Get __her__ out__ of__ your__ head__._

Draco found this easier said than done. A girl shouldn't do this to him. _She_ shouldn't be able to do this to him.

By the time class was over, Draco was frustrated. Angeline had ran her hand through her hair thirteen times, but that wasn't what had frustrated him. It was that he noticed. The old him wouldn't have cared in the slightest. The old him would be making snide comments about her. But in the last few months, he'd changed. His life had changed and that's what frustrated him the most. And he wasn't sure if any of it was for the better or the worse.

* * *

In the early hours on the sixth of June, Angeline sat up and rubbed what little sleep she had in her eyes. She had, had one of the most disturbing dreams in her life. She pulled her legs up to her chest and hugged them as she thought about what she had just left behind.

She had been standing in a room, there wasn't anything interesting or anything that was recognizable about the room.

_"Angeline,"_ Draco had been in her dream, he stood behind her. Looking as groomed as he used to. Every hair in it's proper place. _"__One__ day__ you__'__ll__ wake__ up__, __and__ you__'__ll__ want__ nothing __to__ do__ with__ me__."_ He had told her. His head was tilted to the side as though observing something intriguing. Angeline recalled she closed the gap between them and reached for his hand. He had let her hold it without any hesitation.

Angeline had stared at him and smiled, but it was sad. _"__Maybe__ I__ won__'__t __wake__ up __then__. __Maybe__ I__'__ll __just __stay__ in__ my__ delusional __little__ world__."_

_"And why would you do that?"_ He asked pulling her closer to him.

_"Because I—"_ And before she could finish her sentence, she had woken up with a start.

Angeline ran a hand through her slightly tangled hair. She really didn't want to know what her next words were going to be. It shouldn't have been a dream that made her feel as if she had been running for her life or something of the same equivalent.

Her mouth was dry and she felt as if she had just ran the entire circumference of the castle. Pulling back her bed curtain she slipped out of bed welcoming the cool air that hit her. She grabbed her wand from under her pillow as she slipped her feet into her slippers.

Sticking her wand into her pocket and left the room without bothering to grab her dressing gown.

Walking down the short corridor toward the Common Room. She could tell as she got closer that someone was in the Common Room. She hadn't cared who it was until she saw exactly who it was. She cursed her luck and wondered if the forces of the universes were out to get her.

Draco stood in front of the fire throwing what looked like pieces of parchment into it.

"What are you doing in here?" Angeline asked before she could stop herself. Her safe zone. Her haven. Gone.

Turning away from the fire, Draco looked at her. No hint of amusement on his face as he simply stared at her.

"You don't own the Common Room, Jensen," he said finally as he turned back to the fire and threw the rest of what Angeline was positive now were pieces of parchment. Angeline swallowed around the lump in her throat.

"Sorry," she said. "I didn't mean for it to sound like that. It's just that you're—"

"Save it," Draco cut her off as he continued to stare into the flames of the fire. Angeline ran a hand through her hair as she questioned her sanity as she moved from where she stood and started toward him. Stopping at his side she stayed silent as she watched the flames with him. He didn't move nor did he acknowledge that she stood next to him now.

"Happy birthday," she said quietly. "I'm only a few hours late, sorry about that. I, um, I would have gotten you something, but I wasn't sure what..." Draco chuckled and stuffed his hands into his pocket. His arm brushing hers slightly. She had gotten him something, merely because, well, she just felt impelled to do so.

"Haven't I told you, you don't fool me?" he asked. "Besides I recognized your handwriting on the gift you sent me..." Angeline lowered her head slightly so her hair could cover her burning cheeks. "An expensive gift, Jensen. A customized Wizard's Chess set. You even got it with the Slytherin crest in some of the squares. You may not fool me, but I don't understand you. You're bloody insane, though, are you aware of that?" Draco asked as he looked at her.

"I'm fully aware of that," she said meeting his eye.

"Then why spend your money on a gift like that for someone like me?" He questioned. Angeline thought, Draco looked a little sad, but she definitely thought it had to be the way the light of the fire was hitting his face that made him look that way.

"I just thought it was nice," she answered. "I wanted to get you something meaningful. Chocolates and things like it just lack meaning..."

"And what exactly is the meaning of your gift?" Angeline shook her head and looked at the fire.

"Personally I like to think life is somewhat like a game of chess," she said crossing her arms. "We're all just pawns following orders to protect our king."

"And what if we don't follow orders? What if we don't like our orders?"

"Well that's life isn't it?" she asked looking at him curiously. "You either do it or not. I've had chess pieces walk off the board because they didn't like what I told them to do. We're no different, people. Thus, chess and life. They're one in the same."

"Chess is still a game. One I win all the time. Your meaning doesn't mean much to me."

Angeline shrugged. "Not saying it has to. You asked for the meaning. I gave it to you. Let's put it simple then. Let it be a reminder of our late night conversations, when one of us left ended up leaving either victorious or walking away in a stalemate."

"A reminder of you," Draco said amused. Angeline felt her cheeks heat once more.

"I suppose you can say that."

Out the corner of her eye she watched as Draco ran a hand through his hair as he sighed.

"Anyway...you know..." Angeline smiled at his struggle to say thank you.

"Forget it," she cut in looking at him. "You're welcome." Draco nodded in some sort of appreciation. Angeline nodded back feeling a little strange about the entire conversation. It felt...good. It had been days since that little _incident_, and as awkward as it had been for her personally, she didn't feel any of that now. She was just happy to standing there with him.

This could possibly, no this meant attachment. This was a problem.

"Angeline..."

* * *

"Angeline," Draco said quietly grabbing her attention. Angeline looked over at him in question. "Let's go outside," he said. Angeline's eyes widened in surprise. If he were to be honest he was surprised by his own request. "Quidditch pitch," he added. "I've been wanting go flying for awhile now."

"And why would you want me there?" She asked. The confusion was evident in her voice.

"You're the only one decent enough on a bloody broom," he said. "You coming or what?" he asked as he headed toward the exit.

"Would you wait?" She asked. "If I have to run at any point tonight, I'd rather not be in slippers." she said. Taking her wand from her pocket she pointed it at her feet, they turned into fluffy looking trainers she shrugged as she inspected them. "We can go now," she said with a small smile. Draco smirked as he lead the way out the common room.

Quietly the two Slytherins made their way out of the dungeons and out on to the school grounds. Draco glanced up at the sky, just two days ago was the mark of a new moon. Meaning there wasn't much light for them to see by. But it was definitely an advantage for walking the grounds.

They reached the Slytherin broom closet and retrieved his broom. He looked expectantly at Angeline who simply looked back at him.

"Well are you going to take one?" he asked. "You obviously didn't bring your own."

"No," she said. "It's a lovely night to just watch the stars. Besides if you fall of your broom, I can stop your fall with the wave of my wand."

"Very funny, Jensen," Draco commented as he closed the door to the brooms and headed out onto the pitch, Angeline following silently behind him. "As if _I_ would fall off my broom."

"Famous last words, Malfoy," she said as they reached the center of the pitch. Draco glared at her, but he doubt she saw it as she was already laying sprawled out on the ground staring up at the sky. She lifted her head to look at him. "What?" she asked. Draco shook his head and mounted his broom and shot off into the air.

The cool air didn't clear Draco's head completely but it was enough. He was freshly seventeen. His birthday had only ended a few hours ago, and he didn't feel any different in the slightest. He didn't feel older and he didn't feel like now that he was seventeen his world was open and ultimately his own.

Angeline had been right about chess and life being one in the same. As much as he didn't want to admit it he knew it was true. And it bothered him, that he was a pawn for the Dark Lord, but it wasn't the same. He was doing what he was what he was doing because he would be saving his family. So what if it helped the Dark Lord's plans, his family would be okay and that's all he cared about.

Draco circled the pitch a few times before he looked down at Angeline. She had sat up and was setting off those sparks in different colors. He descended a few feet until he hovered in front of her.

"That draws attention to the pitch," he said. Angeline looked at him and shrugged before she stopped.

"S-sorry," she mumbled. "W-was just t-thinking." Draco frowned and leaned toward her to see her clearly. Her teeth were clattering and it was clear she was shaking.

"Jensen, are you cold?" he asked as he set his feet to the ground. Angeline nodded. "You're hopeless," he mumbled. "Hold this," Draco said holding out his broom. She took it from him and set it on the ground beside her.

Draco shook his head at her briefly, before pulling his jumper off and throwing it to her. She caught it and stared at it.

"W-why are you being so nice to me?" she asked. Draco rolled his eyes.

"Just put it on, Jensen," he said. "Believe it or not, my parents raised me to be a gentleman. And you're cold so put it on."

"Your parents?" she asked as she pulled her arms through the jumper. "Sure it weren't the multitude of etiquette teachers you had. Merlin knows I've had just as many teaching me to be a _lady_." she said as she finished pulling the jumper on.

"And apparently you didn't learn anything," Draco said sitting down across from her. He could see her better now, wasn't great, but he could see her. His jumper was big on her, but at least she wasn't shaking any more.

"It's not that I didn't learn anything," she said pulling her legs up to her chest and wrapping her arms around them. "I use what I learn when I need to...And thank you. I feel better now." Draco didn't reply as he looked up at the very stars Angeline had been looking at when they came out. They each sat there in silence, Draco staring up at the vast amount of stars that hung over their head.

It reminded him of the summers at home, when he'd sneak out of the house late at night just because it was the best time of day to go flying. Life was simple then. He wasn't within days at most a week in becoming a murderer. The thought sickened him.

The letter he had ripped to pieces and burned had been from his aunt, signed in his mother's name. He's aunt told him that his reinforcements were ready when the time was right. She even suggested it he do it soon, as in the very moment he read the parchment. The cabinet was working, but he couldn't just let Death Eaters into the school he had to be sure, Dumbledore was alone. He had a plan. He just hoped it went as he, well, planned.

Draco shut his eyes tightly for he could feel the doubt seeping to the surface and the last thing he needed was to fall to pieces in front of Angeline. He opened his eyes and studied her. Her light green eyes staring up at the wide sky. It was his luck and her naivety that kept her from knowing what he had been doing all year. And deep down he was grateful she didn't know, as much as it pained him to say it, he rather enjoyed her company. He enjoyed being around her. She treated him like any other schoolmate. She called him out on things and he right back. She was the normalcy in his life, and in just a few days, again, at most week, that would change. And Draco knew without a doubt she would want nothing to do with him, and he actually wasn't alright with that.

"_Don__'__t __get__ attached__."_

Now those were proving to be famous last words...

"Draco," Angeline's voice pulled him from his thoughts, she was still looking at the sky. "We'll always be like this won't we?" she asked quietly.

"Like what?" he asked.

"Almost friends," she explained. "There will always be something pulling us together, yet pushing us apart. We don't know how to act around one another anymore do we? Was it always this complicated for us and we just ignored and simplified it because it was better to not think much of it?"

Draco stayed silent for a while as he took her words in. "We'll probably always be like this, Jensen," he said finally. "Things are changing. We're changing. It's only a matter of time before one of us finally wakes up and leaves this little world we've somehow created. Until then, we'll just do what we have to." He explained, but he noted the bitterness in his own voice. Maybe he'll never wake up then. But he had to wake up. He had to wake up soon, because if he didn't, he and his parents would die. And then he'd be asleep forever, never to wake up again.

"One day," she said calmly looking at him. "We'll have it figured out won't we. Just not now."

"One day," he repeated quietly. One day they _might_ figure it out, but he knew they most likely wouldn't. The only thing Angeline would figure out would be that he was everything she hated.

* * *

Angeline yawned as she pushed her breakfast around her plate. She had gone to bed late the night before, because she had been talking to Draco. It was something they did every night since they sat on the Quidditch Pitch. Angeline enjoyed those times and it seemed like he enjoyed them too. But as the days went on, the more Draco would look troubled or in some cases regretful.

Angeline stifled a large yawn as Blaise sat across from her. Angeline wondered how he managed to look so wide awake.

_It__'__s__ because __he__'__s __normal__. __He__ actually__ sleeps __at__ night__. _Angeline rolled her eyes at the voice before she focused on Blaise.

"G'morning, Zabini," she said.

"Morning," he answered looking away from the food he had just placed on his plate and at her. "You look terrible as usual," he commented. "Funny how Malfoy's hasn't been in the room for the last few days and according to Parkinson you haven't either. Want to share what the two of you are up to?"

"Stop it," Angeline said just as the subject of conversation walked into the Great Hall and sat a few seats down the table from them. "It's all just a coincidence." She said bringing her attention back to Blaise.

"I don't believe you," Blaise said with a smirk.

"I don't care," she growled.

"You care quite a lot," Blaise said as he bit into a piece of toast. Angeline narrowed her eyes at him.

"You're right," she said with a small eye roll. "I care a lot for you to shut your mouth."

"My, you're cranky today," Blaise said. Angeline could hear the amusement in his voice. "Did Malfoy leave you un—"

"Don't finish that sentence," Angeline cut him off. "If you must know I've been going to the Quidditch Pitch every night." she said. "I have idea where or what, Malfoy does with his free time. So you can stop teasing now."

"I only believe half of that," Blaise's face was as smug as it could get. He grabbed his bag up from the floor and pulled out a medium sized bag of Honeyduke's chocolate. Angeline caught it as he threw it across the table to her. "Happy Birthday, Jensen," he said. Angeline's eyes widened.

"Today's the seventeenth?" She asked. Blaise shook his head in amusement.

"Do I have to pull out a calender?" Blaise asked.

"No, no," she said. "I just didn't realize it. My most memorable birthday was my seventh birthday and I can't say it was my favorite." she explained. She pushed her plate out the way and opened the bag of chocolate. "Thank you for the sweets. And thank you for remember."

"Are you seriously going to eat that as your breakfast?" Blaise asked instead as Angeline popped a piece of the chocolate into her mouth.

"Why not?" she asked just before the hooting of owls started drowned us out. Parcels and letters were dropped. Now that she was aware it was her birthday, she still wasn't expecting a gift to be delivered to her. So when her barn owl landed in front of her, she could genuinely say she was surprise.

"Hello, Lita," she said once she shook off her surprise. The owl hooted and nudged her hand in greeting. She quickly untied the small parcel from the leg of her owl. "Thank you, Lita. Here you go." Angeline reached for the bacon from her uneaten breakfast and gave it to her owl. The owl nipped her finger in thanks before taking flight again.

Angeline thought the paper on the package was expensive, but it wasn't the kind of paper her parents would have used. Beside Lita was her owl at Hogwarts...How would she get a gift from her parents?

Ripping the paper from the gift, Angeline picked up the piece of parchment attached to the small box. She opened the folded the piece of parchment hoping to solve the mystery of who sent it to her.

_Happy__ birthday__._

That was it. Nothing else. But it was all she needed to know who it was from. She closed the paper and stuffed it in her pocket.

"Who's it from?" Blaise asked nonchalantly.

"A friend of the family," she said. It wasn't really a lie. The Malfoys were 'friends' of the family. Blaise made some sort of noise, Angeline wasn't sure if it was from disbelief or not. Ignoring Blaise she opened her actual gift.

Lifting the lid from the small box, she stopped in her tracks as she stared down at a silver pendant necklace. The pendant was embedded in emeralds and diamonds that made out the Slytherin crest. Angeline found herself smiling despite her usual distaste for anything that marked her as a Slytherin.

"This friend of the family doesn't seem to know you," Blaise said as Angeline was putting the pendant on.

"Well, I think it's lovely," she said tucking the pendant and it's chain into her shirt. Blaise rolled his eyes and shrugged as he went back to eating what was left of his food. Discretely as Angeline cleaned up the mess from her package she looked in the direction that, Draco sat. He looked in her direction a mouth a quick 'later', before he returned to picking at the eggs on his plate.

Angeline turned back to the bag of chocolate and popped another into her mouth. She was very curious as to why he got her such a gift.

* * *

Draco felt on edge. Today was the day he would set out to become a murderer. He had to suppressed a shudder. He was going to let Death Eaters into the school and he had to make his way to Dumbledore in order to complete his mission.

But first he had to get one other thing out of the way.

Angeline.

He found her as she was coming out of the library. And immediately grabbed her arm and lead her down one of the secret passages that Hogwarts had to offer.

"A kind, _follow __me_ would have suffice," Angeline said as they came to the end of the passage.

"And I found just dragging you along to be sufficient." Draco said as he pushed the passage open a little to see if it were safe, deeming it so he stepped out bring her with him. Together they walked down to the dungeons where they entered that one classroom, that they might as well have deemed _theirs_.

"Thank you for the necklace," she said once the door had closed.

"It's nothing," Draco said distractedly. He only had a few moments to speak with her before he had to go to the Room of Requirements. He had to be there for when the other Death Eaters were ready to enter the school. "That's what I wanted to talk to you about," he said looking at her. "There's more to that pendant."

"What a Portkey? Planning on sending me off to the mountains so you can finally get rid of me?" Angeline questioned as she pulled the pendant from her shirt by the chain and looking at the pendant closely. "Always wanted to go to the Andes. See something new, yeah?" Draco rolled his eyes up to the ceiling and simply stuck his hand back into his pocket. She gasped as the pendant evidently heated in her hand. She looked at it confused.

"Read it," he said. Angeline turned it over before bringing it up to her face again. She looked at the back of the pendant and read the words that hadn't been there prior.

_You__'__re__ being__ ungrateful__._ She read off of it. She glared at him and looked at the pendant once again.

"What charm is this?" she asked.

"It's a Protean Charm," Draco stated. "Whatever I change on this," he said pulling out an identical pendant from his pocket. "Will appear on that one and vice versa." he explained.

"The Protean Charm is a difficult charm," Angeline mumbled. "Let me give this a try," she said closing the coin in her hand she thought of her message, she was content when the pendant flashed warm. Draco looked at the one in his hand and read it quickly. Though her message hadn't been long.

"Prick," Draco read out loud before sending her a look that he hoped read annoyance. "You're welcome," he said dryly. Angeline bit her lip to keep from smiling but she was failing miserably at it.

"Why'd you give this to me?" she asked. Draco shrugged.

"Just thought you'd like it." he said.

"Just thought I'd like to talk to you?" Angeline winced at her question. "I mean, you'd be okay with me talking to you?" she rephrased.

Another shrug. "You're always complaining about being alone. So here's the other one. You can give it to whoever it is you want to talk to." he said holding out the pendant to her. She glanced at it briefly before shaking her head.

"You keep it," she said. "You're alone yourself, Draco," she teased. "You'll probably need it more."

"Right, because I just need you in my life." Draco said sarcastically.

_That__'__s__ more __true__ than__ I__ would__ want__ it __to__ be__._

"I knew it," she said just as the galleon in his pocket began to burn. The smirk that had been on his face, faded away as he remembered what he had to do.

Draco turned his back to her briefly so he could look at the coin that had burned hot in his pocket.

_Dumbledore __has__ gone __for __a __drink__. __He__'__ll__ be__ back__ shortly__._ Reading the message, Draco felt a small surge of panic. He turned and faced Angeline again after stuffing the coin back into his pocket.

"Angeline, do me a favor tonight," Draco said as he put the pendant in his other pocket.

"Yeah," she said quietly.

"Stay in bed," he said. "At most stay in the Common Room," he told her.

"Why?" she asked. How was he supposed to answer that? _'__I__'__m__ letting__ Death__ Eaters__ into__ the__ school__ so__ I__ can__ kill__ our __Headmaster__.'_ She'd do one of two things, believe him or laugh and tell him he's going mental. He was leaning for the latter, but still, he didn't want to convince her. Not now. Not after months of keeping it a secret. Let her find out in the morning.

"Did you ever feel like something bad was going to happen?" he asked instead.

"Of course," she said.

"Well I've got a bad feeling about tonight, so just stay in the Common Room." he said. Draco glanced at the watch on his wrist. "I have to go," he said turning away from her to leave, hoping she would heed his warning. It was for her own safety. Who would have thought, he would care for her the way he did...Surely not him.

"Draco," she said as she grabbed his arm to stop him. "Why do I feel like the moment I see you walk out that door it will be the last time I'll see you for awhile?"

Draco's gray eyes met her concerned green ones. He did the only thing he could do to stop her from asking questions, he grabbed the side of her face and pressed his lips to hers. There was no teasing this time. He wanted her to feel everything he was feeling at that very moment. The anger. The sorrow. The fear.

Pulling away from the kiss he rested his forehead against hers. Both of them trying to catch their breath. They stared into each others eyes for what seemed like decades. Draco closed his eyes briefly before opening them and pulling away from her completely.

"I'm sorry," he said turning away and leaving the classroom and the girl he would never see again.

* * *

Angeline watched as the door closed behind Draco. She brought her hand to her lips as she still felt his on hers. She closed her eyes as she dropped her hand. The look in his eyes before he walked away, that kiss, they both upset her more than anything he could have possibly done to her in the past.

"_I__'__m__ sorry__,"_ And he walked away. Angeline wasn't sure what he was sorry for. Just that he was and that he was sincere. Draco Malfoy never said sorry and meant it. She had the strongest feeling that he was saying, goodbye...And for the first time in her life she wasn't going to ignore it.

* * *

**Fun fact: When I gave Angeline her birthday, I just picked a date at random and just recently I realized June 17th is the same day I graduated High School. :)**

**Heads up, the next two chapters are going to be pretty action packed. I hope you liked them! The chapter is almost complete, I just need to fix a few things here and there. It should be up in no time! I hope I'm not lying this time!**

**There are 3 chapters left! Oh noooooo! Oh well, there will be a sequel! So no worries. XD**

**Chapter Question:  
Do you think Angeline will do what Draco told her?**

**Thanks for reading! Would you mind reviewing? :)  
**

**Take**** Care****,  
TR**


	15. Chapter 15

**Woah, Chapter 15 is here and I'm freaking out. Haha. For numerous reasons, last chapter I got about 20 reviews...that's way more than I have ever gotten for ANY story I've written. It's mind blowing. And second, my second semester of college is almost over! Which means more writing time...I hope. Haha.  
**

**Thanks to;** _**MissLaceyMalfoy, L.A.H.H, vampire-angel1996, LuvTaylor01, Amehhh, carpe-diem-1299, Seriously addicted to DM, MissLorraineScarlet, sharleneyago, Kimboolinaa,**__**TemaxShika forever**_**,_ hardestofhearts, Lonely-soul101, xXMizz Alec VolturiXx, InkPhantom, alliwant, FleurSuoh,_ and _"your favorite anon "_ for reviewing means a bunch! **

**Quick note to "your favorite anon": I wish I could have PMed you! But thank you! And I hope you got some sleep! 4:34am!  
**

**And of course thanks to all that added this story to their favorites or their alerts. That too means a lot to me! :)**

**Disclaimer:** JK Rowling owns the wonderful HP series. Anything you recognize belongs to that lovely lady. **  
**

* * *

Draco didn't know it was possible for ones heart to beat as fast as his was as he ran through the fighting that had ensued the moment he had let the Death Eaters into the school. Dumbledore's bloody Order of the Phoenix had some how known that something was going to happen. Draco toyed with the idea that Dumbledore himself knew what he was up to all along, but it did nothing to ease is nerves, if anything that thought made them worse.

He jumped over a body of a person he was sure to be dead. How could they not? There was so much blood and so many spells flying all over the place it would be a miracle if they were dead.

Running up the stairs to the top of the Astronomy Tower he had a whiff of nostalgia as he remembered not only two nights ago had Angeline pulled him up those very stairs. Laughing as she told him how she loved being high in the air, how it felt liberating in someway. But he couldn't think of how her laughter rang in the night air, he had a mission to fulfill and he was going to get it done. Not that he had a choice of the matter. The beginning of the rest of his life was just through the door at the top of the stairs.

Bursting through the door at the top, Draco's eyes locked onto Dumbledore immediately and he pointed his wand and shouted: _"Expelliarmus!"_

By the light of the Mark hanging over the tower Draco watched with very little satisfaction as Dumbledore's wand flew in an arc over the edge of the ramparts. He'd really done it. He'd managed to disarm Dumbledore. This would be quick and easy. Almost too easy...

Stepping forwards, Draco glanced around quickly to make sure he and Dumbledore were alone. Dumbledore seemed alone, but his eyes fell upon a second broom.

"Who else is here?" He questioned.

"A question I might ask you. Are you acting alone?" Dumbledore didn't answer the question. But Draco didn't have the patience to worry about that. He didn't see anyone, it was fine.

"No," Draco answered. "I've got back-up. There are Death Eaters here in your school tonight."

"Well, well," said Dumbledore. Draco noted that he said it as though he was showing him a very interesting project. "Very good indeed. You found a way to let them in, did you?"

"Yeah," Draco said, he was panting slightly from running up the stairs. "Right under your nose and you never realized!"

"Ingenious," said Dumbledore. "Yet...forgive me...where are they now? You seem unsupported."

"They met some of your guard. They're having a fight down below. They won't be long...I came on ahead. I-I've got a job to do."

Saying it out loud in front of his _job_ made Draco slightly nauseous. Well, more nauseous than he had been.

"Well, then, you must get on and do it, my dear boy," Dumbledore said softly.

There was silence. Draco was shaking ever so slightly. All he could do was stare at Albus Dumbledore, unable to utter the simple curse that would end it all. _Avada Kedavra_ that's all he had to say. It would be over. This man should cower in fear at his life ending in the hands of a seventeen year old. But Albus Dumbledore merely smiled at him.

"Draco, Draco, you are not a killer."

"How do you know?" he said at once.

Draco realized how childish the words sounded and he felt his checks warm ever so slightly.

"You don't know what I'm capable of," he said more forcefully, "You don't know what I've done!"

"Oh, yes, I do," said Dumbledore mildly. "You almost killed Katie Bell and Ronald Weasley. You have been trying, with increasing desperation, to kill me all year. Forgive me, Draco, but they have been feeble attempts...so feeble, to be honest, that I wonder whether your hearts has been really in it..."

_It hasn't..._

"It has been in it!" Draco said vehemently. "I've been working on it all year, and tonight-"

Somewhere in the depths of the castle below Draco heard a muffled yell. Draco stiffened and glanced over his shoulder.

"Somebody is putting up a good fight," said Dumbledore conversationally. "But you were saying...yes, you have managed to introduce Death Eaters into my school which, I admit, I thought impossible...how did you do it?"

Draco didn't say anything he was too busy listening to what was happening below. His heart was pounding and for the life of him, he hoped Angeline had listened to him for once in her life.

* * *

Angeline sat in the center of her bed with the curtains drawn around her. She wasn't sure how long she had been sitting there, but she figured it had to have been quite awhile considering she was still in her school uniform. Time seemed _irrelevant_.

_"Stay in bed,"_ Draco had told her only a few hours ago. Angeline growled at the memory. _"At most stay in the common room."_

Why would he tell her that?

Why did he say he was sorry?

That's why she was still awake. Because her thoughts were running and she couldn't get them to stop. And the longer she sat there, the angrier she was becoming. And the more her anger flowed, the more she felt as though there was something wrong.

Pulling back the curtains she climbed out bed and glanced around the room. Pansy's curtain was slightly open but Angeline knew she was asleep. On the other side of Pansy was Millicent snoring softly behind her own curtains. Next to Angeline, Daphne laid quietly her curtains were never drawn and Angeline found she was asleep as well.

Quietly walking to the end of her bed she lifted her trunk and pulled out her trainers.

Pulling them on her feet and lacing them up, she grabbed her wand from with under her pillow and quietly left the room like she had done plenty of nights before. As she slowly made her way down the corridor she the worry was beginning to overcome the anger.

Her intentions when leaving her bed had been to go to Common Room, so when she found herself standing outside the door of the sixth year boys she shook her head of it's confusion. If Draco thought that something bad was going to happen then surely he too would be in bed.

Checking wouldn't hurt.

Slowly she turned the knob and pushed the door open. Stepping into the dark room, she headed into the general direction of where Draco's bed was. Stopping in between two beds, one Blaise's the other Draco's she looked at the one that belonged to the boy she was seeking. Only she didn't even have to approach the bed, the curtains were drawn and the bed laid unoccupied.

What had she been expecting when she came in here? Draco was never in bed according to Blaise. She was foolish to think he would be in bed. But his words from earlier floated into her mind. _"Did you ever feel like something bad was going to happen? ...I'm sorry..."_ He had only questioned her about it, but the more she replayed it in her head the more it became to clear to her that he _knew_ something was going to happen. Or worse was already happening.

"Blaise," she said forgetting all pretenses of whispering and manners as she pulled the boys' curtain back. "Bloody _hell_, wake up," she said shaking him. Blaise batted her hand away and sat up slowly.

"Jensen?" he asked in sleepy confusion. "What do you think you're doing?" he asked.

"Something's wrong," she said.

"Then go to the Hospital Wing," Blaise responded as he attempted to close his curtains. "I, unlike you, like to sleep." Angeline grabbed the curtains and pulled them back open.

"Would you listen?" she growled, she didn't care if her voice woke someone else up. "When was the last time you saw, Draco?" she asked. Blaise sighed and ran a hand down his face.

"Dinner," he said. "Why? Is he late for your midnight shag?"

"_Zabini_, I'm being serious!" she nearly yelled as she grabbed him by the collar of his shirt. "Something isn't right!"

"And what the hell do you want me to do about it?" Blaise snapped. Angeline knew he was right. What could he do about it?

_Get out of bed and come with me.  
_

"Sorry," she mumbled as she released him. "I'll go to bed now. I think the lack of sleep is making me go mental."

"You think?" Blaise remarked quietly as he tugged his shirt straight. "Good night, Jensen," he said. "I'll see you in a few hours." With that said Blaise pulled the curtains shut. Angeline ran a hand through her hair. Why was she shaking?

She left the boys dormitory with no intention of going to bed herself and not once did she stop in the Common Room to debate whether or not she should stay there and stare at the fire or go find Draco.

She knew what he told her, but it hadn't been like she had promised him to do as he said.

_"Did you ever feel like something bad was going to happen?"_

Angeline gulped as she exited the Common Room. She had a very _strong _feeling that something bad was already happening.

Keeping her wand out and ready, her feet took her out of the dungeons and on the main floor where she could distinctly hear the sounds of things exploding and the sound of screams. Angeline stared up at the staircase she had gone up plenty of times before at this hour of the night. But never had she looked at them and felt fear strike her heart. Despite all this she allowed her feet to continue up those very stairs that suddenly brought her terror. These stairs that brought her closer and closer to crashes and screams.

Floor by floor she went, the explosions getting louder. The tighter her wand was held. She was on the floor heading to the Astronomy Tower when she knew she had reached her destination but she didn't want to know what waited for her around that last corner. The sounds were enough.

Despite her own screams to turn around and go back to the Common Room she continued. Stopping at the corner she took deep breaths. She could turn back now and pretend she was never there. She could wake up in the morning and hear the news of fighting in the castle. But the sounds of people screaming. She wouldn't be able to pretend that didn't happen.

Slowly, Angeline turned the corner only to duck and crawl back around the corner narrowly missing a stray spell. She had walked right into the middle of what was nothing short of a battle. If her heart was racing fast before it had picked up it's speed.

_There are Death Eaters in the school..._

And without a doubt she just _knew_ who had let them in...but she didn't want to believe it.

Not after all the defending she had did. Not after everything they both put themselves through.

_No, Draco didn't do this. Draco couldn't. What about Snape? He did it. Everyone knows his past!_

But the thoughts brought her no comfort. _  
_

Pressing her back hard against the wall she wished she could just phase through it and just disappear from it all. Perhaps it was all just a horrible nightmare. But she knew that it wasn't. And the biggest question of all was, what was she going to do?

Taking a deep breath and resting her head against the wall, it didn't take her long to think of her options. There were three things she could do, run away, get help, or go into the fight and possibly get herself killed.

The last one wasn't her favorite.

There was a scream causing her to jump. Her knuckles were turning white at how hard she was clutching her wand. She could go get help, but what good would that do? She could possibly run around the entire castle trying to find a professor. She had no idea where to start.

Cursing as she heard another scream this one louder, she knew she couldn't just sit there. She _had to_ help.

_What would a Slytherin typically do?_

Run the other way...

Her first option. The one option common sense would have chosen.

She was always saying how she wanted to prove something, prove that not all Slytherin's were the Devil's Spawn, that they weren't all going to grow up to be Death Eaters or Dark Wizards and Witches. That maybe being a Slytherin wasn't as bad as everyone thought. What better way of doing that, than running into battle like some bleeding heart Gryffindor?

_Fight or flight? Rules and tradition. Save your own skin or...  
_

"Never really cared much for rules or tradition." she mumbled to herself as she stood up, her decision made. "Besides, ambition isn't necessarily a bad thing." she said as she turned the corner and shot off the first spell she thought of at the back of a dark robed figure.

* * *

"Perhaps you ought to get on with the job alone," Dumbledore suggested. "What if your back-up is thwarted by my guard? As you have perhaps realized, there are members of the Order of the Phoenix here tonight, too. And after all, you don't really need help...I have have no wand at the moment...I cannot defend myself."

Draco merely stared at him. He couldn't do anything.

"I see," said Dumbledore kindly, when Draco neither moved nor spoke. "You are afraid to act until they join you."

"I'm not afraid!" Draco snarled.

_Damn it, I sound like Angeline..._

"It's you who should be scared!"

"But why? I don't think you will kill me, Draco. Killing is not nearly as easy as the innocent believe...so tell me, while we wait for your friends...how did you smuggle them in here? It seems to have taken you a long time to work out how to do it."

Draco didn't know if he was fighting the urge to shout or to vomit.

_Both._

Draco gulped and took several deep breaths and glared at Dumbledore, keeping his wand pointed directly at his heart. Then, as though he could no longer contain himself, he said, "I had to mend that broken Vanishing Cabinet that no one's used for years. The one Montague got lost in last year."

"Aaaah."

Draco frowned for a moment, why did the old man sound as though he was in pain.

"That was clever...there is a pair, I take it?"

"The other's in Borgin and Burkes," Draco said, "and they make a kind of passage between them. Montague told me that when he was stuck in the Hogwarts one, he was trapped in limbo but sometimes he could hear what was going on at school, and sometimes what was going on in the shop, as if the Cabinet was traveling between them, but he couldn't make anyone hear him...in the end he managed to Apparate out, even though he'd never passed his test. He nearly died doing it. Everyone thought it was a really good story, but I was the only one who realized what it meant—even Borgin didn't know—I was the one who realized there could be a way into Hogwarts through the Cabinets if I fixed the broken one."

"Very good," Dumbledore murmured. "So the Death Eaters were able to pass from Borgin and Burkes into the school to help you...a clever plain, a very clever plan...and, as you say, right under my nose..."

"Yeah," Draco said feeling some sort of courage. "Yeah, it was!"

"But there were times," Dumbledore when on, "Weren't there, when you were not sure you would succeed in mending the Cabinet? And you resorted to crude and badly judged measures such as sending me a cursed necklace that was bound to reach the wrong hands...poisoning mead there was only the slightest chance I might drink..."

"Yeah, well, you still didn't realize who was behind that stuff, did you?" Draco sneered.

"As a matter of fact, I did," said Dumbledore. "I was sure it was you."

"Why didn't you stop me then?" Draco demanded. He sort of wished the old man _had_ stopped him.

"I tried, Draco. Professor Snape has been keeping watch over you on my orders—"

"He hasn't been doing _your_ orders, he promised my mother—"

"Of course that is what he would tell you, Draco, but—"

"He's a double-agent, you stupid old man, he isn't working for you, you just think he is!"

"We must agree to differ on that, Draco. It so happens that I trust Professor Snape—"

"Well, you're losing your grip, then!" Draco sneered. "He's been offering me plenty of help—wanting a bit of the action— 'What are you doing? Did you do the necklace, that was stupid, it could have blown everything'—But I haven't told him what I've been doing in the Room of Requirement, he's going to wake up tomorrow and it'll all be over and he won't be the Dark Lord's favorite any more, he'll be nothing compared to me, nothing!"

_So I hope. _

"Very gratifying," said Dumbledore mildly. "We all like appreciation for our own hard work, of course...but you must have had an accomplice, all the same...someone in Hogsmeade, someone who was able to slip Katie the- the- aaaah."

Dumbledore closed his eyes and nodded, as though he was about to fall asleep.

"...of course...Rosmerta. How long has she been under the Imperius Curse?"

"Got there at last have you?" Draco taunted.

There was another yell from below, louder than the last. Draco looked nervously over his shoulder again.

* * *

Angeline barely got out of the way of the killing curse that had been sent in her direction. She vaguely wondered whether her identity of being the only daughter of Demetrius and Celeste Jensen would save her now.

_Obviously not._ _  
_

She thought as her stunning spell missed and hit the wall instead. Hiding behind another corner she listened as someone yelled far up ahead. She was sure she'd seen Neville Longbottom at one point while she fired stunning spell after stunning spell. She hoped she hadn't hit him or anyone on the side she most definitely wanted to win. It wasn't like she was aiming to kill though, so that somewhat eased her mind. As eased as it would be at a time like this.

Angeline prepared herself to turn the corner again to set off a barrage of spells, but she was whisked from behind and her body was slammed into the opposite wall. She tasted the blood that filled her mouth as her face hit the wall hard. Before she could completely get her wand pointed at her attacker she was thrown to the ground with whatever spell the person had been using, her wand scattering to the ground and out of her reach.

"Always knew you were a blood traitor," Nathaniel Blishwick stood above her with his wand pointed directly over her heart. Angeline stared up at him, not wanting a wand to be the last thing she saw before her end.

"Really?" she asked blowing her fallen hair out her face. "And what makes you think I'm not fighting on your side? _Our_ side?" she questioned.

"You think I'm some kind of twit don't you, Jensen?" Nathaniel asked her. "I'm not a fool, _little _girl."

"Let's agree to disagree then," Angeline said as she slowly crept backwards, she had seen her wand roll in that direction during her fall. "But if you're not a fool then, what are you doing? You ought to kill me."

"Oh I'm not going to kill you...yet." Nathaniel said moving closer to her. Angeline felt fear course through her as she watched him, but she quickly pushed it aside for the fact that he gave her a reason to move back faster. Still it didn't ease her mind to know that he was the type to play with his food before he ate it. "I was thinking we'd have a little fun first." He said as he grabbed her by the hair. Angeline screamed as she was yanked up off the floor. "Aren't you a bit curious in how I got into your _wonderful_ school tonight?"

"No," Angeline said through clenched teeth. "Not really." She had been so close to her wand, her fingertips had just brushed it.

"I'll tell you anyway," Nathaniel said. "Think of it as a birthday gift from me to you." Angeline was tempted to spit in his face. "I'm here, because of one Draco Malfoy." Angeline cringed and not because of the grip that Nathaniel had on her hair. "He mended a broken Cabinet that allowed us in. Breaks your little heart doesn't it?" Nathaniel asked tugging at her hair painfully. "You know why he let us in? Well, it's because he's going to kill the old man. Hogwarts Headmaster, Albus Dumbledore. Brilliant isn't it. More of like a suicide mission if you ask me, but looks like the little Malfoy managed to pull it off, well the first half anyway. He should be dealing with the old man as we speak, that is if _the greatest wizard of all time_ hasn't already killed Malfoy."

Angeline wondered if one could die of a heart-attack at the age of seventeen. She sure felt like it with the way her heart was pounding. Though she figured that Draco was the reason Death Eaters were in the school, hearing it out loud from the boy she despised the most only made it hurt a little more. And to know that Draco was going to kill Professor Dumbledore...

_Blishwick could be lying..._

But she knew he wasn't.

Yet, there was the small sliver of hope. Small and fading fast.

"You trusted, Malfoy didn't you. He fed you lies, but it's not hard to fool you." he said. "You're so bloody naïve, it's amazing you're even alive."

Angeline felt plenty of emotions, but the most prominent was her fury. She had never felt that furious before in her life, and she wasn't sure what her anger was directed at.

Herself? Draco? Blishwick? **_Everything_**.

But it was best to start small, start with what she could deal with now.

Because if she didn't, she would surely die. It was all up to her how she would survive, the people running past them weren't stopping to help, they too were trying to survive.

It was now or never and she had to think quick.

Her eyes shifted to the wand held in his right hand...Looking into Nathaniel's smug eyes, Angeline smirked, "You say you're no fool, but you're about to you realize what a _little girl_ can do. Naïve sure. Smarter than you, always."

Nathaniel laughed, "You sure about that, Jensen. You're mental and you're sprouting nonsense, I could end your life any moment I felt like it." Angeline's smirk transformed into a grin.

"Try to kill me with out this," she said as she grabbed the top half of Nathaniel's wand and pulled down hard...

The sound of wood snapping in-half filled her ears.

* * *

Draco looked back at Dumbledore, who went one, "So poor Rosmerta was forced to lurk in her own bathroom and pass that necklace to any Hogwarts student who entered the room unaccompanied? And the poisoned mead...well, naturally, Rosmerta was able to poison it for you before she sent the bottle to Slughorn, believing that it was to be my Christmas present...yes, very neat...very neat...poor Mr. Filch would not, of course, think to check a bottle of Rosmerta's...tell me, how have you been communicating with Rosmerta? I thought we had all methods of communication in and out of the school monitored."

"Enchanted coins," Draco said, he felt as though he was compelled to keep talking, mainly because he knew was wasting plenty of time. Plus for the most part it kept his mind of just how badly his wand hand was shaking. "I had one and she had the other and I could send her messages—"

"Isn't that the secret method of communication the group that called themselves Dumbledore's Army used last year?" Dumbledore asked. His voice was light and conversational, which only angered Draco.

"Yeah, I got the idea from them," Draco said, he felt his face twist. "I got the idea from poisoning the mead from the Mudblood Granger, as well, I heard her talking in the library about Filch not recognizing potions..."

"Please do not use that offensive word in front of me," Dumbledore said. Draco gave a harsh laugh.

"You care about me saying 'Mudblood' when I'm about to kill you?"

"Yes, I do," said Dumbledore. "I'm sure one Angeline Jensen has once told you not to use it as well. She's a rather unusual, Slytherin isn't she? Though she does have a certain disregard of the rules. She has the tendency to do the opposite of what she's told. I'm sure she's about the castle as we speak."

"Don't talk about her," Draco snapped before he could stop himself. Merlin, he hoped she wasn't walking about the castle.

"I apologize, Draco," Dumbledore said. "Now about you killing me, Draco. You have had several long minutes now. We are quite alone. I am more defenseless than you can have dreamed of finding me, and still you have not acted..."

Draco felt his face contort as though he had tasted something bitter.

"Now, about tonight," Dumbledore went on, "I am a little puzzled about how it happened...you knew that I had left the school? But of course," he answered his own question, "Rosmerta saw me leaving, she tipped you off using your ingenious coins, I'm sure..."

"That's right," Draco said. "But she said you were just going for a drink, you'd be back..."

"Well, I certainly did have a drink...and I came back...after a fashion," Dumbledore mumbled. "So you decided to spring a trap for me?"

"We decided to put the Dark Mark over the Tower and get you to hurry up here, to see who'd been killed," Draco said. "And it worked!"

"Well...yes and no..." said Dumbledore. "But am I to take it, then, that nobody has been murdered?"

"Someone's dead," Draco said, he heard his voice go up slightly. "One of your people...I don't know who, it was dark...I stepped over the body...I was supposed to be waiting up here when you got back, only your Phoenix lot got in the way..."

"Yes, they do that," said Dumbledore.

There was a bang and shouts from below, louder than ever it sounded as though people were fighting on the actual spiral staircase that led to where they stood.

"There is little time, one way or another," Dumbledore said. "So let us discus your options, Draco."

_"Do you believe in choices?"_ Her voice rang through his head.

* * *

"You bitch!" Nathaniel screamed as he threw her to the ground. Angeline anticipated the throw as she quickly crawled in the direction of her wand. For the second time, her finger tips only brushed the cool wood as he leg was grabbed and she was yanked back.

"Get off me!" she yelled as she kicked at him, but Nathaniel had straddled her waist and was holding her down. "Get off! You prick!" Nathaniel slapped her hard across the face. Angeline felt the blood flow from her lip, but it was the least of her worries.

"How dare you!" he yelled back. "You broke my wand, you're playing dirty."

"What a surprise," she growled. "Not so big now without your wand are you?" she asked as she tried to struggle her way out from under him. He was heavy and she needed to get to her wand. She could see it all she needed was to get one of her hands free. "Pathetic aren't you, Blishwick. So much for killing me right?" she taunted.

_Come on._ She thought.

"You think I still can't kill you?" he questioned. "You think I won't get my hand a little dirty? Your parents will love me for disposing of you! Even if I do have to do it the muggle way."

"You wouldn't," she continued to push. "You've got more pride than the entire Slytherin house. You're nothing but a pawn! You'll never actually live up to anything. You'll always be talk when really you're just a scared little boy, Blishwick!" Nathaniel's face twisted and two things happened to Angeline, one her arms were free and the other was Nathaniel's own hands were wrapped around her throat.

With her right hand, Angeline grabbed at Nathaniel's hands trying to pry them off, trying to give herself some breathing room. With her left hand, she stretched trying to get a grip of her wand. The tips of her fingers hit the wood, but she couldn't grip it. Her vision was beginning to swim and her attempts of keeping Nathaniel's hands from squeezing around her throat was starting to become limp.

_No!_ She screamed in her head as she gave up trying to pry Nathaniel's hands off and focused all her energy on getting wand. _I'm not going to die!_ Not like this. Not by strangulation. Not before she saw Draco...

Fingers and palms met the wood of her wand, the familiar sensation of being united shot through her arm just as she pointed her wand at the boy on top of her.

_Stupefy!_ She thought in panic.

Red light shot out from her wand and Nathaniel's body was thrown off her own. Angeline's lungs filled with much needed air and she coughed on it. Rolling onto her side she coughed some more and rubbed at her sore neck. Slowly rising to her feet she turned to face Nathaniel. Breathing hard and keeping her wand pointed forward she move closer to the boy. Staying a few steps away from him she glanced down at him, his body limp, but he was breathing, just unconscious.

"_Petrificus totalus_ ," she said though it hurt her voice to do so. Sighing out of relief, Angeline rubbed at her neck absently, feeling the chain that still hung around it. Remembering that it wasn't over yet.

* * *

"_My_ options!" Draco said loudly. "I'm standing here with a wand-I'm about to kill you— "

"My dear boy, let us have no more pretense about that. If you were going to kill me, you would have done it when you first Disarmed me, you would not have stopped for this pleasant chat about ways and means."

"I haven't got any options!" Draco said. "I've got to do it! He'll kill me! He'll kill my whole family!"

"I appreciate the difficulty of your position," Dumbledore said. "Why else do you think I have not confronted you before now? Because I knew that you would have been murdered if Lord Voldemort realized I suspected you."

Draco winced at the sound of the Dark Lord's name.

"I did not dare speak to you of the mission with which I knew you had been entrusted, in case he used Legilimency against you," continued Dumbledore. "But now at last we can speak plainly to each other...no harm been done, you have hurt nobody, though you are very lucky that your unintentional victims survived...I can help you, Draco."

"No, you can't" Draco said, his wand hand was shaking extremely bad now. "Nobody can. He told me to do it or he'll kill me. I've got no choice."

"Come over to the right side, Draco, and we can hide you more completely than you can possibly imagine. What is more, I can send members of the Order to your mother tonight to hide her likewise. Your father is safe at the moment in Azkaban...when the time comes we can protect him too...come over to the right side Draco...you are not a killer..."

Draco stared at Dumbledore for the longest time. There were so many things running through his mind. He could just...disappear. But...

"But I got this far, didn't I?" he said slowly. "They thought I'd die in the attempt, but I'm here...and you're in my power...I'm the one with the wand...you're at my mercy..."

"No, Draco," said Dumbledore quietly. "It is my mercy, and not yours, that matters now."

Draco did not speak. His mouth was open, his wand hand still trembling. Draco felt that same hand begin to lower. He couldn't do it...he wouldn't...

But suddenly footsteps were thundering up the stairs and a second later Draco was buffeted out of the way as four people in black robes burst through the door on to the ram parts.

A lumpy-looking man with an odd lopsided leer gave a wheezy giggle.

"Dumbledore cornered!" he said, and he turned to a stocky little woman who looked as though she could be his sister and who was grinning eagerly. "Dumbledore wandless, Dumbledore alone! Well done, Draco, well done!"

"Good evening, Amycus," said Dumbledore calmly, as though welcoming the man to a tea party. "And you've brought Alecto too...charming..."

The woman gave an angry little titter.

"Think your little jokes'll help you on your death bed, then?" she jeered.

"Jokes? No, no, these are manners," replied Dumbledore.

"Do it," said the man in the corner.

Draco felt his stomach drop some.

"Is that you, Fenrir?" asked Dumbledore.

"That's right," rasped the other. "Pleased to see me, Dumbledore?"

"No, I cannot say that I am ..."

Fenrir Greyback grinned, showing pointed teeth. Blood trickled down his chin and he licked his lips slowly, obscenely.

"But you know how much I like kids, Dumbledore."

"Am I to take it that you are attacking even without the full moon now? This is most unusual ... you have developed a taste for human flesh that cannot be satisfied once a month?"

"That's right," said Greyback. "Shocks you, that, does it, Dumbledore? Frightens you?"

"Well, I cannot pretend it does not disgust me a little," said Dumbledore. "And, yes, I am a little shocked that Draco here invited you, of all people, into the school where his friends live..."

"I didn't," Draco breathed. He was not looking at Greyback; he did not want to look at him in the slightest. "I didn't know he was going to come— "

"I wouldn't want to miss a trip to Hogwarts, Dumbledore," rasped Greyback. "Not when there are throats to be ripped out ... delicious, delicious ..." And he raised a yellow fingernail and picked at his front teeth, leering at Dumbledore.

Draco had to fight the urge to vomit once again.

"I could do you for afters, Dumbledore ..." Greyback said.

"No," said the fourth Death Eater sharply. He had a heavy, brutal-looking face. "We've got orders. Draco's got to do it. Now, Draco, and quickly."

Draco didn't want to do it. He felt terrified as he stared into Dumbledore's face, which was even paler, and rather lower than it had been, as he had slid so far down the rampart wall.

_This...this isn't right...  
_

"He's not long for this world anyway, if you ask me!" said the lopsided man, to the accompaniment of his sister's wheezing giggles. "Look at him - what's happened to you, then, Dumby?"

"Oh, weaker resistance, slower reflexes, Amycus," said Dumbledore. "Old age, in short ... one day, perhaps, it will happen to you ... if you are lucky ..."

"What's that mean, then, what's that mean?" yelled the Death Eater, suddenly violent. "Always the same, weren't yeh, Dumby, talking and doing nothing, nothing, I don't even know why the Dark Lord's bothering to kill yeh! Come on, Draco, do it!"

But at that moment, there were renewed sounds of scuffling from below and a voice shouted, _'They've blocked the stairs -__ Reducto! REDUCTO!'_

"Now, Draco, quickly!" said the brutal-faced man angrily.

But Draco's hand was shaking so badly that he could barely aim.

"I'll do it," snarled Greyback, moving towards Dumbledore with his hands outstretched, his teeth bared.

"I said no!" shouted the brutal-faced man; there was a flash of light and the werewolf was blasted out of the way; he hit the ramparts and staggered, looking furious.

"Draco, do it, or stand aside so one of us -" screeched Alecto, but at that precise moment the door to the ramparts burst open once more and there stood Snape, his wand clutched in his hand as his black eyes swept the scene, from Dumbledore slumped against the wall, to the four Death Eaters, including the enraged werewolf, and Draco himself.

"We've got a problem, Snape," said the lumpy Amycus, whose eyes and wand were fixed alike upon Dumbledore, "the boy doesn't seem able— "

But somebody else had spoken Snape's name, quite softly.

"Severus ..."

The sound frightened and angered Draco beyond anything he had experienced all evening. For the first time, Dumbledore was pleading.

Snape said nothing, but walked forwards and pushed Draco roughly out of the way. The three Death Eaters fell back without a word. Even the werewolf seemed cowed. Snape gazed for a moment at Dumbledore, and there was revulsion and hatred etched in the harsh lines of his face.

"Severus ... please ..."

Snape raised his wand and pointed it directly at Dumbledore.

_ "Avada Kedavra!"_

A jet of green light shot from the end of Snape's wand and hit Dumbledore squarely in the chest. Draco's scream of horror never left him, he'd never seen someone die; silent he stood unmoving as he forced himself to watch as Dumbledore was blasted into the air: for a split second he seemed to hang suspended beneath the shining skull, and then he fell slowly backwards, like a great rag doll, over the battlements and out of sight.

* * *

**Do you hate me or what?**

**Haha**

**I'm writing a oneshot fic featuring moments from Draco & Angeline's childhood together. It will probably be uploaded in between the ending of this story and before the upload of the sequel. So my question this chapter is;**

**Are there in specific things you would like to see in Angeline and Draco's past together?**

**You've come this far, do you mind leaving me a review? :)**

**Until next chapter,  
TR**

**PS. Two more chapters! *cue freak out*  
**


	16. Chapter 16

**Hello there lovely readers! So stress is great isn't it? **

**I've got a paper to go write, but before I do that, I have to give you all a chapter to a story! :) Hope you enjoy it! ^_^  
**

**Thanks to; _L.A.H.H, Ashley Rose Everdeen Malfoy, Amehhh, xXMizz Alec VolturiXx, hardestofhearts, Noel Ardnek, missokaycool, vampire-angel1996, Kimboolinaa, lenie954, xXxCastielxXx, Yvette, KaraPotter, _and _DeeDark_** **for reviewing last chapter!**

**And thank you to all of those who read and added this story to their favorites or their alerts! All of this means a lot to me!**

**Disclaimer:** I highly doubt I could come up all this stuff by self. If you recognize it, it belongs to the lovely J.K Rowling!

* * *

"Out of here, quickly," Snape said as he seized Draco by the scruff of his neck and forced him through the door ahead of all the others.

He and Snape hurried down the spiral staircase not bothering to stop at the bottom. The dimly lit corridor was full of dust; half the ceiling seemed to have fallen in; and a battle was raging before him. Drace followed Snape as they forced their way through the fight, ultimately unscathed.

"It's over, time to go!" Snape called as they were reaching the end of the corridor. But a glance to his left, Draco's grey eyes met, Angeline's light green ones. She was kneeling beside, Neville Longbottom, but her attention was focused upon Draco. The last thing he heard above the clattering of spells was Angeline calling his name just as he and Snape had turned the corner.

* * *

"Draco!" Angeline shouted from her place beside Neville Longbottom. She gritted her teeth just as Draco and Snape turned the corner. She wanted to go after them, but she couldn't leave not yet. Not with a person sitting before her was hurt. Throwing up a shield she turned to the Gryffindor before her. "Longbottom?" She said trying to get Neville to look at her.

Neville's pale, round face which laid flat against the floor lifted to look at her. Pain flashed across his face. "M'fine," he mumbled unconvincingly just as someone tripped over the boys outstretched legs.

Angeline recognized the unruly black mop of hair immediately.

"Neville, are you—?"

"M'all right," Neville muttered, as he sat up clutching his stomach, "Harry...Snape 'n' Malfoy...ran past..."

"I know, I'm on it!" Harry said, aiming a hex from the floor at the enormous blond Death Eater that had been causing most of the chaos. The man gave a howl of pain as the spell hit him in the face. He wheeled around, staggered, and then pounded away after two other Death Eaters. Harry scrambled up from the floor and began to sprint along the corridor.

Angeline wasted no time, she looked at Neville determining that he would alright, and she herself scrambled from the floor, she needed to get to Draco before Harry did. It was obvious to her that something far more terrible had happen and she needed to get to Draco before he did.

Angeline skidded around the corner, her trainers slippery with blood; Draco and Snape had such an immense head start. Angeline berated herself for not taking chase sooner. Even Harry was ahead of her, no where to be seen. The sound of her own pounding feet and the hammering of her heart filled her ears as she sprinted along the next corridor. What if she was too late? What if she did all this running for nothing?

_Complain at a time like this? Get your mind where it needs to be, Angeline._ She told herself as she skidded around another corner.

Angeline jumped over a pile of armor that had been blasted over prior to her turning the corner. From this corridor she could hear shouts and screams; other people within the castle seemed to have awoken.

Cursing, Angeline speed up toward one of the many shortcuts she had found during her midnight journeys around the castle. Skipping multiple stairs at a time, Angeline burst through a tapestry at the bottom and out into a corridor where a number of bewildered and pajama-clad Hufflepuffs stood.

"Angeline! Is it true? Is someone dead? Is the Dark Mark really—" Susan Bone began.

Angeline let out a frustrated yell as she pushed her way through the crowd and down the remainder of the marble staircase. The oak front doors had been blasted open, there were smears of blood on the flagstones, and several terrifed students stood huddled against walls, a few still cowering with arms over their faces. The giant Gryffindor hourglass had been hit by a curse, and the rubies within were still falling, with a loud rattle, onto the flagstones below.

She dashed across the entrance hall and out on to the dark grounds. She could just make out four figures racing across the lawn, heading for the gates beyond which they could Disapparate. Harry Potter only a little ways ahead of her.

Knowing there was no way she would catch them on foot, Angeline pointed her wand in the direction of Quidditch Pitch. Within seconds a broom came zooming toward her, grabbing it midair Angeline mounted it and shot off toward the people she was pursuing.

Angeline's lungs burned despite not running any longer, but she knew she'd have to ditch the broom before long. And a lot sooner than she thought.

Just as she was nearing, Harry, the tail end of her broom was hit, causing her to loose control. Angeline tumbled off the broom, hitting the ground where she rolled.

The wind knocked out of her, she sat up to see Harry rolling over, his wand at ready as he shot a spell at whomever had attacked him and as well as herself.

"_Impedimenta!_" he yelled as he rolled over again, crouching close to the dark ground. Angeline watched as miraculously his jinx hit one of the two pursuers, who stumbled and fell, tripping up the other. Harry sprinted to his feet and sprinted on.

Angeline catching what breath she could sprinted after him. As she ran across the grounds, Angeline saw the vast outline of Hagrid, illuminated by the light of the crescent moon revealed suddenly behind clouds; the blond Death Eater was aiming curse after curse at the gamekeeper; but Hagrid seemed immune to it's effects. Snape and Draco, however, were still running with Harry not that far off; they would soon be beyond the gate, able to Disapparate—

Angeline tore past Hagrid and his opponent, and watched as Harry took aim, and yelled, "_Stupefy!_" He missed; the jet of red light soared past Snape's head; Snape shouted, "Run, Draco!" and turned.

Not wanting to waste any time, Angeline ran past Harry and Snape as they stared each other about to lock in a duel.

"Draco!" Angeline screamed as she pointed her wand at his retreating back.

* * *

"Draco!" Draco wheeled around just as the red light flew over his head and sent his own stunner her way, but she deflected it easily. Draco waited for her to attack once again but she didn't even move she just stared at him. It made him wonder if she had missed the first time on purpose. If she were smart she'd at least disarm him.

She didn't.

But then neither did he disarm her.

They stared at one another for what felt like an eternity. Both of them breathing hard trying to catch their breath. Draco took in her appearance. Only a few hours ago, her pale skin was unblemished and now, her lip was split, her left eye looked as though it were swelling, and there was no mistaking the bruises around her neck.

"I don't want to hurt you, Angeline," he said finally. Angeline scoffed just like he knew she would. "You should have known better—"

"Than to trust you?" she cut him off. "I well aware of my mistakes, Draco." she growled. Her voice was raw, and if Draco didn't know better, he was sure it was killing her to talk. "I did more than trust you. I defended you when no else did!"

"I never asked you to!" Draco shouted back at her. "I never wanted—I didn't need you or anyone else to stand up for me!"

"People said horrible things about you, you had absolute no one on your side. And they were all right to not take your side. They saw you when I didn't! I saw only the part of you I want to see!" Draco listened as her voice raised more and more. It was coming to his attention that her anger wasn't just directed toward him, but at herself. "Why, why was I so foolish?" she said it so quietly Draco was shocked he heard her at all.

"You've always been foolish," Draco said. Angeline laughed. It was bitter and dry and held none of the melodic sound he was so used to.

"And I've always thought you were a better person than you portray," she said. "But I was wrong like so many other things. I mean just look at what you're capable of," she said calmly as she gestured absently behind her. "Did you kill him? Did you murder Dumbledore like your master commanded?"

Draco glanced up the Dark Mark illuminating the night sky. The memory of seeing Snape kill Albus Dumbledore still fresh in his mind. "What do you think?" he asked.

Angeline's tongue licked her bottom lip and she tilted her head skyward before looking at him. Her wand arm dropped to her side as though she was just too tired to hold it up any longer. Too tired to fight. "I think you're a terrible excuse for a human," she finally said. "There's not a single bone of compassion in your body, Draco Malfoy." She shook her head as though trying to scatter her thoughts.

"Just go...I don't care if I never see you again."

None of her words had been spoken harshly, she spoke calmly like she had done plenty of times while speaking to him. But the anger was evident on her face. In her eyes. She hated him and she didn't have to say it.

And Draco found that it was enough to upset him…

Without saying a word to her, Draco backed up before he turned and ran toward the gate. As he crossed the gate he could hear the sound of pounding feet behind him. A quick glance over his shoulder showed him it was the giant blond Death Eater, and the two Carrows. Angeline stood out of the way as they ran past her, none of them giving her a second glance as she stared after them.

Angeline turning her back was the last thing he saw of her before one of his companions grabbed his arm and Disapparated on the spot.

* * *

Angeline moved off to the side as Death Eater after Death Eater ran past her to the gate not paying her any attention. She watched as Draco ran toward the gate, she watched as he looked back at her, she watched as he was joined by the other Death Eaters, but she refused to watch him Disapparate. She refused to see him leave.

Turning her back on the gate and Draco, she slowly looked up at the Dark Mark hanging in the sky for the first time. Running a hand down her face and ultimately regretting it she slowly started up the hill in the direction of Hagrid's inflammed cabin.

Just as she was heading up, Snape ran past her a raging hippogriff chasing after him. Angeline stopped momentarily to watch as Snape ran as hard as he could as the enormous beast flapped behind him, screeching in a way that made Angeline scrunch up her face. Not caring whether or not her ex-professor was mauled or not, Angeline turned back around and continued up the hill.

As she made it to an even part of ground she found Harry Potter struggling to his feet looking around groggily for something. His wand she figured finally he turned and looked to toward the gates, Angeline looked as well, just to see if Snape had made it or not.

He had, as the only thing she could see was the hippogriff circling the gates.

"Hagrid," muttered Harry, still dazed, looking around. "HAGRID?"

Angeline looked at the Boy Who Lived with some sympathy, and without really thinking about it helped him stand up straight.

"I'll help you find him, Harry," she said quietly. Harry hadn't seemed to hear her as he continued to look around, dazed. "C'mon," she said.

Together they stumbled toward the burning house as an enormous figure emerged from out of the flames carrying his dog Fang on his back. With a cry of thankfulness, Harry sank to his knees, shaking, Angeline letting him knowing she was in not in any condition herself to hold up an emotional sixteen year old boy.

"Yeh all righ', Harry? Yeh all righ'? Speak ter me, Harry…"

Angeline watched as Harry blinked rapidly as though to clear his vision, while all she could smell was burnt wood and dog hair.

"I'm all right," panted Harry. "Are you?"

"Course I am...take more'n that ter finish me." Hagrid said, he glanced at Angeline for the first time. "Yeh all righ'?" he asked.

"Great," she responded without much thought. Hagrid gave her a nod before he put his hands under Harry's arms and raised him up with such force that Harry's feet momentarily left the ground before Hagrid set him upright again.

"We should put out your house," Harry said, "the charm's _Aguamenti_..."

"Knew it was summat like that," mumbled Hagrid, and he raised a smoldering pink, flowery umbrella and said, "_Aguamenti!_"

A jet of water flew out of the umbrella tip. Harry raised his wand arm and murmured "_Aguamenti_" too. Running a hand through her hair and lifted the other and mumbled her own, "_Aquamenti_." Together, they poured water on the house until the last flame was extinguished.

"S'not too bad," said Hagrid hopefully a few minutes later, looking at the smoking wreck. "Nothin Dumbledore won' be able to put righ'..."

Angeline glance up at the sky again and her hand tightened around her wand. Maybe she was just having a horribly vivid dream.

"Hagrid..."

"I was bindin' up a couple o' bowtruckle legs when I heard 'em coming," Hagrid said sadly, still staring at his wrecked cabin. "They'll bin burnt ter twigs, poor little things. . . ."

"Hagrid..." Harry tried again.

"But what happened, Harry? I jus' saw them Death Eaters runnin' down from the castle, but what the ruddy hell was Snape doin' with 'em? Where's he gone—was he chasin' them?"

"He..." Harry cleared his throat. "Hagrid, he killed..."

Angeline's head snapped from the sky to look at Harry.

"Killed?" said Hagrid loudly, staring down at Harry. "Snape killed? What're yeh on abou', Harry?"

"Dumbledore," said Harry. "Snape killed...Dumbledore."

Relief shot through Angeline, Draco wasn't a murderer, but it was a short lived relief because he had still lied to her. He was still...one of them. And Dumbledore was still dead. The Greatest Wizard of All Time was dead and Draco had a hand in his death...

Hagrid simply looked at him, the little of his face that could be seen completely blank, uncomprehending.

"Dumbledore wha', Harry?"

"He's dead. Snape killed him..."

"Don' say that," Hagrid said roughly. "Snape kill Dumbledore - don' be stupid, Harry. Wha's made yeh say tha'?"

"I saw it happen."

"Yeh couldn' have."

"I saw it, Hagrid."

_Why didn't you stop it? Why didn't you do something?_ She wanted to ask but couldn't find the voice to do so.

Hagrid shook his head; his expression was disbelieving but sympathetic, and Angeline knew that Hagrid thought Harry had sustained a blow to the head, that he was confused, perhaps by the after effects of a jinx. ...

"What musta happened was, Dumbledore musta told Snape ter go with them Death Eaters," Hagrid said confidently. "I suppose he's gotta keep his cover. Look, let's get yeh back up ter the school. Come on, Harry..."

With no argument or an attempt to explain, Harry still shaking uncontrollably followed after Hagrid. Angeline followed at a slightly slower pace as they directed their steps back toward the castle. Angeline saw that many of its windows were lit now, and she could only imagine, the scenes inside as people moved from room to room, telling each other that Death Eaters had got in, that the Mark was shining over Hogwarts, that somebody must have been killed...

The oak front doors stood open ahead of them, light flooding out onto the drive and the lawn. Slowly, uncertainly, dressing-gowned people were creeping down the steps, looking around nervously for some sign of the Death Eaters who had fled into the night. Angeline followed, Harry's line of sight eyes, where they were fixed upon the ground at the foot of the tallest tower. Her wonders about what he was looking at were only intensified as out of the corner of her eye she saw people beginning to move toward that very spot.

"What're they all lookin' at?" said Hagrid, as they approached the castle front, Fang keeping as close as he could to their ankles. "Wha's that lyin' on the grass?" Hagrid added sharply, heading now toward the foot of the Astronomy Tower, where a small crowd was congregating. "See it, Harry? Right at the foot of the tower? Under where the Mark...Blimey...yeh don' think someone got thrown—?"

Hagrid fell silent, the thought apparently too horrible to express aloud. Angeline and Harry walked alongside him. Angeline felt sick as she slowly realized exactly what or rather who, was laying at the bottom of the Astronomy Tower.

Dreamlike, they walked through the murmuring crowd to the very front, where the dumbstruck students and teachers had left a gap.

Angeline stopped Hagrid only a few steps ahead of her, as they stared down at the body of Headmaster Albus Dumbledore. Harry however, kept going; he walked slowly forward until he reached the play where Dumbledore lay and crouched beside him.

Angeline closed her eyes as she felt the tears coming. She could not cry. It was a long night, but she would not cry.

Opening her eyes she looked down at the greatest wizard she had ever known and possibly ever meet, dead. Spread-eagled, broken.

Dumbledore's eyes were closed; but the strange angle of his arms and legs, he might have been sleeping. Angelin watched as Harry reached out, straightened the half-moon spectacles upon the crooked nose, and wiped a trickle of blood from the mouth with his own sleeve.

The crowd murmured, words like, _"Dumbledore. Dead. Who?"_ Floated past Angeline's ears. She could hear people crying people in the back denying that it happened. And once again, Angeline felt her eyes burn with tears as in front of her, Fang began to howl.

* * *

It was silent when Fang finished howling. No one knowing what to say or what to do.

"C'mere, Harry..." Hagrid said.

"No." Harry said defiantly.

"Yeh can' stay here, Harry... Come on, now..."

"No," Harry repeated.

It was evident to everyone watching that Harry Potter did not want to leave Dumbledore's side. But he would have to eventually.

Ginny Weasley brushed past Angeline as she knelt down beside him. "Harry, come on." she said quietly as she stood back up, pulling him upward with her. Angeline only stopped watching when a hand was placed on her shoulder.

"You've never looked worse," Angeline turned and looked at Blaise Zabini. His words were void of their usual snootiness. When Angeline said nothing and turned away from him she turned her back around. "Come on," he said grabbing her arm and heading her out of the crowd. "We're going to the hospital wing," he said.

"I'm not hurt," Angeline mumbled. Blaise looked her over before tugging on her arm more.

"We're going to the hospital wing," he said in all finality. Angeline let Blaise pull her in the direction of the hospital wing. The walked up the steps into the entrance hall. Faces swam on the edges of Angeline's vision, people were whispering, wondering, and Gryffindor rubies glistened on the floor like drops of blood as they made their way toward the marble staircase.

They had reached the hospital wing. Pushing open the doors, Angeline saw Neville Longbottom lying, apparently asleep in a bed near the door. Harry, Ron, Hermione, Ginny, Luna Lovegood, a girl with mousy brown hair, and the ex-Defense Against the Dark Arts professor, Remus Lupin.

Laying on the bed was a man with red hair, a Weasley she didn't recognize, she wasn't sure if it were because his face was so badly slashed and ripped that caused her not to recognize him or was it that she had never seen him before.

Blaise lead her toward a bed further from the group congregated near the front. Sitting on the bed, Angeline immediately pulled her legs up to her chest and hugged them. She rested her chin on them as she stared at the opposite wall. Blaise had sat the end of the bed bringing himself into her line of sight.

Averting her eyes Angeline picked at the cut she hadn't known was on her leg until then.

"I owe you twenty Galleons," she said looking at him finally recalling their bet about Draco Malfoy. Blaise shrugged.

"I told you so," he said. Angeline laughed but only coughed as it hurt to do so.

"You did," she said hugging her legs tighter. "I, um, I should have listened." she said as she reached up and touched the chain around her neck. Grabbing it from within her shirt she yanked the chain from her neck and threw it across the bed. "I hate him you know. I hate that I trusted him. I hate him. I hate him. I hate him." she said as her eyes welled up for the third time that night. She turned her head to the side begging them to not fall.

"I get it," Blaise said picking up the necklace. "You know, Jensen...It's okay to cry."

"Cry?" Angeline questioned as she glared at him. "Me cry? A Jensen cry? A Slytherin cry? It's absurd that you would even suggest a thing like that. I don't see you crying."

Blaise met her glare with one just a fierce. "People cry, Angeline. And you, you're months overdo. Slytherin, Jensen, it doesn't bloody matter. You want to change the way people look at you at your family, at our house, yet you're not doing that if you don't show you have a single emotion in your body other than anger!"

Angeline looked away from him and toward the window. He didn't know a single thing. Nothing. Being upset did nothing to solve a problem. Crying wouldn't make her feel better, crying would make her weak and being weak was unacceptable, despite how she felt...

Somewhere out in the darkness, a phoenix was singing in a way that Angeline had never heard before: a stricken lament of terrible beauty. It was her own grief, it was her anger toward Draco, toward herself. It was every negative emotion she had felt in the last year let alone few hours. The phoenix song was like every bit of her soul had magically been turned into song.

How long she sat there, listening, she didn't know, nor did she understand how it seemed to ease the heaviness she had felt on her chest, but it felt like a long time later before Blaise had handed her a tissue before she realized she was crying. And now that she had started she wasn't sure she was ever going to stop.

* * *

**I'm crying you guys. T_T **

**There's only one chapter left of this chapter! And then do you know what that means? Sequel! **

**I've already made a banner for the sequel and a trailer of it as well. Both will be posted with the next chapter so be on a look out for that! I'll remind you next chapter too! **

**Chapter Questions:  
(1)-**What did you think of the HP7pt2 Trailer?** [I for one had a freak out!]  
**

**(2)-**What questions do you have for me regarding the sequel or just in general? **[I'm very, very curious!]**

**Now I'm off to go write that paper, well maybe not now...considering its late. Oh well, there's always tomorrow. XD  
**

**Take care,  
TR  
**


	17. Chapter 17

**Well this is the last chapter of Simplicity and I'm really sad to say that. But I still have hopes for the sequel! :) **

**So for one last time in this story, I would like to thank; _xXMizz Alec VolturiXx, L.A.H.H, vampire-angel1996, Kimboolinaa, xXxCastielxXx, MissLorraineScarlet, Annamarie, hardestofhearts, _and_ daisyrose22_ for reviewing last chapter! Means the world!**

**And thank you to all the ones that added this story to their favorites and their alerts. :) **

**Disclaimer: **"If I ruled the world, I'd plant flowers." Hehe, 10 points if you know where that's from. The point is, I'm just a visitor. Please thank JK Rowling for building this world for us to play in!

* * *

All lessons were suspended, all examinations postponed. Some students were hurried away from Hogwarts by their parents over the next couple of days-the Patil twins were gone before breckfast on the morning following Dumbledore's death and Zacharias Smith was escorted from the castle by his haughty-looking father. Seamus Finnigan, on the other hand, refused pointblank to accompany his mother home; they had a shouting match in the Entrance Hall which was resolved when she agree that he could remain behind for the funeral.

Some excitement was caused among the younger students, who had never seen it before, when a powder-blue carriage the size of a house, pulled by a dozen giant winged palominos, came soaring out of the sky in the late afternoon before the funeral and landed on the edge of the Forest. Angeline watched from a window as a gigantic and handsome olive-skinned, black-haired woman descended the carriage steps and threw herself into the waiting Hagrid's arms. Meanwhile a delegation of Ministry officials, including the Minster of Magic himself, was being accommodated within the castle.

Angeline was spending a lot of her time alone, away from anyone that wanted to know what she was doing out of bed when it happened. Away from everyone and everything. Well, with the exception with Blaise, she'd sit with him on short occasions, neither ever saying a word before she would get up and go some place else. Usually outdoors, just as she was now. The beautiful weather seemed to mock her. She was miserable and well, she'd much rather the weather matched her mood.

"Cheer up, Jensen," Angeline looked up from her place on the ground at Blaise. He was holding what looked like the Evening Prophet in his hands. "You managed to send one Death Eater to Azkaban, and you still have your health." Angeline looked back out at the lake.

"Yeah, right," she said absently. Blaise sighed and stayed standing.

"Well I tried," he said.

"Thanks," she mumbled as she looked up at him again. "Anything interesting in the Prophet?" she asked. She wasn't entirely sure what she wanted to hear.

"Not really. They're still looking for Snape, but no sign of him or..."

"Twenty galleons says he's right under their nose," Angeline said cutting him off. Blaise scoffed.

"Like I would bet against that. The blokes at the Ministry aren't the brightest bunch are they? Besides you still owe me from our last bet," Blaise said. Angeline smiled slightly.

"Should have known better, Zabini," she said.

"I suppose you're right," Blaise sighed for the second time and dropped the Prophet down beside her. "If you're done having a pity party for one, it's time for dinner," Angeline's eyes narrowed slightly before she grabbed the Prophet as she stood up.

"I wasn't having a pity party you prick," She said walking past him, but she didn't miss his smirk.

"Whatever you say, Jensen," He said as he followed behind her.

* * *

Angeline rose early to pack the next day; the Hogwarts Express would be leaving an hour after the funeral. Down-stairs he found the mood in the Great Hall subdued. Everybody was wearing their dress robes and no one seemed very hungry. Professor McGonagall had left the throne-like chair in the middle of the staff table empty. Hagrid's chair was deserted too. Angeline thought that perhaps he had not been able to face breakfast; but Snape's place had been unceremoniously filled by Rufus Scrimgeour. The Minster of Magic's yellowish eyes scanned the Hall as though looking for someone, Angeline figured he was looking for Harry Potter. A look at the Gryffindor table showed she was probably right, as Harry avoided looking at the man.

At her own table, it was just as quiet, she supposed maybe her House cared a lot more than they put out. A little ways down from her, Crabbe and Goyle were muttering together. Hulking boys though they were, they looked oddly lonely without the tall, pale figure of Draco Malfoy between them, bossing them around. As much as Angeline tried to keep her thoughts from going to Draco, it seemed inevitable. She was ecstatic to know that he was no murderer after all, but why didn't he just say he didn't do it? Why did he make her believe he did it?

It doesn't matter._ He_ doesn't matter anymore.

But there were still moments when she wondered where he was and if he was all right. If he was alive...

Angeline's thoughts were interrupted by a nudge in her ribs from Blaise. Professor McGonagall had risen to her feet and the mournful hum in the Hall died at once.

"It is nearly time," she said. "Please follow your Head of House out into the ground. Gryffindors, after me."

Slughorn had stood before them as they all lined up in their row, he was wearing magnificent long emerald-green robes embroidered with silver. Looking at the Hufflepuffs, she had never seen Professor Sprout, Head of the Hufflepuffs, looking so clean; there was not a single patch on her hat, and when they reached the Entrance Hall, they found Madam Pince standing beside Filch, she in a thick black veil that fell to her knee, he in an ancient black suit and tie reeking of mothballs.

They were heading, as Angeline saw when she stepped out on the stone steps from the front doors, towards the lake. The warmth of the sun caressed her face as they followed Professor McGonagall in silence to the place where hundreds of chairs had been set out in rows. An aisle ran down the center of them, where there was a marble table standing at the front, all chairs facing it. It was the most beautiful summer's day.

An extraordinary assortment of people had already settle into half of the chairs: shabby and smart, old and young. Most Angeline did not recognize, but there were a few that she did, there was Kingsley Shacklebolt, a man her father despised, the real Mad-Eye Moody, Remus Lupin, Mr and Mrs Weasley with their oldest son whom she had just learned was Bill supported by his soon to be wife Fleur Delacour, whom she had spoken to numerous times when she had been in the Tri-Wizard Tournament, and just behind them was Fred and George Weasley. Then there was Madame Maxime, who took up two-and-a-half chairs on her own, Tom, the landlord of the Leaky Cauldron, the hairy bass player from the Weird Sisters, the driver of the Knight Bus, Madam Malkin from the robe shop in Diagon Alley, and some other people Angeline only knew by sight. The barman of the Hog's Head and the witch who pushed the trolley on the Hogwarts Express. The castle ghosts were there too, barely visible in the bright sunlight, discernible only when they moved, shimmering insubstantially in the gleaming air.

Angeline and Blaise filed into seats at the end of a row beside the lake. People were whispering to each other; it sounded like a breeze in the grass, but the birdsong was louder by far. The crowd continued to swell.

Cornelius Fudge walked past them towards the front rows, his expression miserable, twirling his green bowler hat; Angeline recognized Rita Skeeter, clutching in her hands a notebook, and just beyond her she saw Dolores Umbridge, the worst professor Hogwarts had ever seen, and that was counting Lockhart. He never tried to take over Dumbledore's job. Umbridge wore an unconvincing expression of grief on her toad-like face, a black velvet bow at atop her iron-colored curls.

"Disgusting woman," Angeline snarled. Blaise looked in Umbridge's direction.

"She's ugly and she'll die alone..." Blaise said looking at Angeline. "Do you think it's too late to make it a double funeral?"

"I believe that would be an insult to Professor Dumbledore," Angeline replied facing forward.

The staff were seated at last, Angeline could see Scrimgeour looking grave and dignified in the front row with Professor McGonagall. She wondered whether any of these important people were really sorry that Dumbledore was dead. There was no secret that they didn't like the way Dumbledore ran the school. Her musing were cut short by singing, she turned her head around looking for the source of it. She wasn't the only one, many head were turning, searching, a little alarmed.

But then she saw them, in the clear green sunlit water, inches below the surface, a chorus of merpeople singing in a strange language she did not understand, their pallid faces rippling, their purplish hair flowing all around them. The music made the hair on Angeline's neck stand up and yet it was not unpleasant. It spoke very clearly of loss and despair. As she looked down into the wild faces of the singers she had the feeling that they, at least, were sorry for Dumbledore's passing. Then Blaise nudged her again and she looked round.

Hagrid was walking slowly up the aisle between chairs. He was crying quite silently, his face gleaming with tears, and in his arms, wrapped in purple velvet spangled with golden stars, was what Angeline knew to be Dumbledore's body. Angeline felt her body go cold despite the warmth of the day.

From where they sat they could not see clearly what was happening at the front. Hagrid seemed to have placed the body carefully upon the table. Now he retreated down the aisle blowing his nose with loud trumpeting noises that drew scandalized looks from some. But Angeline didn't care, it was a time for mourning.

The music had stopped and she turned to face the front again.

A little tufty-haired man in plain black robes had got to his feet and stood now in front of Dumbledore's body. Angeline could not hear what he was saying. Odd words floated back to them over hundreds of heads. 'Nobility of spirit'...'intellectual contribution'...greatness of heart'...it did not mean very much to state what people could read about. Why not speak of Dumbledore's eccentricity? Something people knew only if they were in his presence. And at that moment she was reminded of her very first Hogwarts feast and four words played through her head; 'nitwit', 'oddment', 'blubber' and 'tweak', Angeline had to suppress the smile that was making it's way slowly onto her face.

Angeline looked out over the lake as, the merpeople had broken the surface to listen, out toward the Forest the centaurs had come to pay their respects, too.

Angeline suddenly realized just how respected, Dumbledore was, just how important he was to all of them. In her six years of attending the school she had only talked to him once. She had been out of bed back in her first year and she had gotten lost when she had come upon the Headmaster.

When he had saw her, he hadn't been mad instead he smiled and patted her on the head and said with a twinkle in his blue eyes; _"Ambition and cunning aren't terrible things if they come in the right amounts, Miss Jensen...Would you care for a lemon drop?"_

Angeline shook her head as the little man in black had stopped speaking at last and resumed his seat. Angeline waited for somebody else to get to their feet; she expected speeches, probably from the Minister, but nobody moved.

Then several people screamed. Bright, white flames had erupted around Dumbledore's body and the table upon which it lay; higher and higher they rose obscuring the body. White smoke spiraled into the air and made strange shapes; Angeline thought for one heart-stopping moment, that she saw a phoenix fly joyfully into the blue, but next second the fire had vanished. In its place was a white marble tomb encasing Dumbledore's body and the table on which he had rested.

There were a few cried of shock as a shower of arrows soared through the air, but they fell far short of the crowd. It was, Angeline knew, the centaurs' tribute; she saw them turn tail and disappear back into the cool trees. Likewise the merpeople sank slowly back into the green water and were lost from view.

Angeline looked around at her fellow schoolmates, all of which looked as though the world was some how less bright, even Pansy Parkinson looked as though she had a soul after all. People were beginning to stand and conversation was starting to grow louder as they started to disperse across the grounds.

Standing herself, Angeline walked to the edge of the Great Lake, the soft waves hitting the shoreline.

"Kind of strange don't you think?" Angeline asked as Blaise came to stand beside her.

"What is?" He asked.

"Everything," she said.

"That was very specific, Jensen," Blaise said sarcastically kicking at a rock. Angeline rolled her eyes and looked up at him.

"It's just that I never knew I would be standing here...at the funeral of our Headmaster because—" Angeline cut herself off short.

"Your boyfriend was a slime ball Death Eater?" Blaise suggested.

"Malfoy isn't my boyfriend," Angeline snapped.

"Well, obviously not anymore," Blaise said. Angeline glared at him.

"Malfoy is not my boyfriend nor was he ever," Angeline said. "We weren't even friends," she added quietly.

"That's because you were more than friends," Blaise stated as though it was fact. Angeline ran a hand through her hair out of frustration. Blaise was so infuriating.

"Whatever," She finally said. "My point is we've never had a normal year at Hogwarts..."

"That is the normal when you think about it," Blaise responded. "First year, Potter and company saves some stone. Second year, Potter battles a basilisk. Our third year, Sirius Black enters the castle. Fourth year, the death of Cedric Diggory. Last year, complete anarchy if you ask me. And now, this year. On second thought, maybe our problem is Potter..."

Angeline shrugged. "He could have something to do with it. At least we've never had a boring year."

"Think the school will open in the fall?" Blaise asked suddenly. Angeline looked at him curiously.

"Probably," she said. "Hogwarts is one school to be reckoned with...But we'll have to get through the summer first."

"And how do you plan to do that?" Blaise asked. "You've got a target on your back. I don't even know why I bother speaking to you. Blood traitor and all." Angeline shrugged. She'd thought about packing all her things and running away, but to her running away wasn't an option anymore. So she was going to do the only thing she could do.

"Annoy my parents naturally," she said. "My presence alone will do most of the work."

"Well," Blaise said looking out at the Lake. "You have fun with that," Blaise said.

"I plan to," Angeline said with a small smirk. "We should probably get going, wouldn't want to miss the train home." Angeline turned to head toward the gates and make the walk to the Hogsmeade Train station. But she didn't get far.

"Angeline," Blaise called. Turning around to look at him, Blaise pulled something from his pocket and threw it at her as he said, "Catch." Snatching the glittering necklace out of the air, Angeline stared at the pendant necklace she had yanked from her neck only a few days ago. A necklace she didn't want. Not now. Not ever. "You'll regret not having that one day," he said as he walked past her. "Enjoy your holiday," he called back to her.

Angeline watched, Blaise walk away for a moment before she looked back down at the necklace in her hand. Turning the pendent a few times in her hands she was tempted to walk back toward the lake and throw it in, but she couldn't get herself to do it.

Instead she stuffed it into her pocket. She'd never use it to speak to Draco, but she'd keep it, because there was still this small part of her that believed in him...no matter how much she stated she hated him...maybe one day she'll be able to speak to him again. Maybe one day she'd understand him, but today wouldn't be that day.

* * *

**Oh my Rowling! **

**It's the end of this chapter! And the end of this story! Can you believe it? I surely can't. **

**There wasn't any Draco POV in this, but I felt like it would be repetition of the one shot I wrote called _I'm Too Young_. Don't fret though, first chapter of the sequel belongs to our favorite Blonde. :)  
**

**Anyway! I cannot thank you all enough on how wonderful you all are! I want to thank you all for standing by me! Without your support this story really couldn't have happened. :) I have two things waiting for you, if you visit my profile you will find a link to the banner to the sequel and the link to the trailer. They will be labeled as _Clandestine_. I hope you all like them!**

**So without further ado, I leave you. But before I do, I must ask you one last time (until the sequel that is), would you mind leaving me a review?**

**All of you take care! I'll miss Simplicity, but I'm excited about Clandestine! :) **

**Until then! **

**Stay wonderful. Stay awesome. Stay...you. :)**

**Much love,  
TwistedRaver ^_^  
**


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